


Love Knows No Bounds

by kat11c



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 00:09:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 270,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20518733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat11c/pseuds/kat11c
Summary: Sirius and James are just trying to be good friends and find Moony a girlfriend. They cast a spell to summon his other half. Unfortunately, it happens during a full moon. AU with OFC being a Harry Potter fan in our world, getting pulled into their world, during Marauder's time at Hogwarts. Secrets, fun, and drama ensue :) Remus/OFC





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

  
A young, handsome teenage Sirius Black silently laid on his bed waiting for one of his best friends to join him, levitating a black leather boot above him, moving it in a figure eight pattern out of boredom. Remus had come over to visit so that James and Sirius could be with him to help out with his “furry little problem” two days ago, and this was the perfect opportunity for them to enact their plan. It was the end of the summer, only a few days before they returned to Hogwarts for their seventh and final year. The boys were hoping that their werewolf friend could start off the year with a bang, so they were hoping to get Moony a girl. According to Sirius, Remus had been “pathetically single” his entire life so far, causing the boys to be determined to find him a bird.   
Impatiently, Sirius blew a lock of his long, black hair off his face and let the boot drop to the floor and quickly cast Tempus, realizing that he had really only be waiting about five minutes. And to think, he had been worried about how long Remus had been reading in the Potter’s library when realistically, he had just started. His friend would usually settle down with some swotty book for about an hour before becoming too restless, so James and he had plenty of time to perform the spell. Moony was always moping about how he was a “monster” and no girl deserved to be tied down to him, so Sirius had the brilliant idea of looking for someone that was matched to him. That way, there’d be no mistaking that Remus belonged with this mystery girl…or guy, he supposed. James agreed and remembered his parents mentioning the Potters’ luck in marriages had to do with the family grimoire. Almost a month ago, James had been able to locate the text in the Potters’ library and sneak it away to his room, where Sirius and he studied the incantation and wand movements forwards and backwards. It’s not dark magic, as Sirius would’ve expected to find in the Black library, but it’s a little gray, considering it required some blood. However, it’s for Moony. And that kid deserves a good lay, he thought. The boys had spent the last week double and triple checking that they knew all of the pertinent information. All they had needed was an opportunity to obtain some of Remus’ blood, which Sirius was able to do so during the full moon a couple of nights ago. They would always play and wrestle during the night, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch for him to have bitten maybe a little too hard on Moony’s shoulder. James was able to quickly collect some blood from the shoulder wound after Remus transformed back, but before he regained consciousness. The two teenagers felt slightly guilty at sneaking around their friend’s back, but they reassured themselves that it was for his own good. Although the intention behind the spell was to find the one, true match for Remus, it supposedly summoned the person. Which was the perfect way to surprise Moony, Sirius thought with a grin.

Sirius glanced at the door for a few moments before huffing, then repeating the words and wand movement for the spell in his mind as he waited for Prongs to show up. They had learned their lesson the hard way this past school year when they attempted a prank without understanding the spell properly. No more half-assed spells, the Animagus thought to himself with a wince. A minute or so later, James came through the door all nonchalantly and Sirius whisper yelled, “What’s been taking you so long?!”

James rolled his eyes. “I was responding to a letter from Lily.”

Sirius rolled his eyes and mumbled, “That could’ve waited, you know. This is only for Moony, one of your best friends.”

James mock glared and held a hand to his chest, “My Lily flower waits for no one,” he said dramatically. His expression turned serious and he said, “Okay, let’s get a move on,” as he pulled out a vial of blood from his robes. 

Sirius’ face lit up. “Finally!” he said excitedly. 

James volunteered to be the one to create the required rune on the floor, using Remus’ blood. It looked like a sideways “X” with a straight line down the middle. James stood back from the rune, looked it over, and quickly dropped back down to add another small line, connecting two to create a triangle at the top right of the symbol. “Whew, that wouldn’t have been good,” he said lightly to Sirius as he took a step back to stand side by side with his friend. The spell required two casters with the best intentions for the person seeking his or her “other half”.

“Ready, Prongs?” Sirius asked with a grin. James nodded, so he began to chant “Unum opus est adducere... Unum opus est adducere...”

James soon joined in with, “Horam tuam in ecclesia santorum… Horam tuam in ecclesia santorum…”

After chanting their individual phrases, in unison they uttered, “Medium deducere et alia.” A moment later, the rune of Remus’ blood on the floor glowed a bright gold, then vanished, leaving the floor as clean as it was before the spell. The teenagers stood in complete silence, waiting to see what would happen next. They looked around the room, Sirius twisting this way and that, trying to see if there was anything different in the room. James’ eyes darted all over the room, looking for the arrival of a person. But there was nothing. The boys frowned at each other. No appearance of a lady friend for Remus, no shouts from downstairs signaling that she appeared in front of the werewolf himself, nothing.

James had a look on concentration on his face and Sirius groaned, putting his face into his hands. “All that hard work for nothing,” he muttered.

“Hang on, Pads. It should’ve worked. I know that spell works. Potters have used it in the past to find the one person they are meant to be with,” James said confidently. 

His friend shrugged. “Maybe it takes time?”

James frown deepened as he ran his hand through his messy, jet black hair. “I dunno. Maybe. The book didn’t say anything about that.” 

“Well, it’s not like we can just ask Mom and Dad. They wouldn’t be happy knowing we’re taking spells from the family grimoire without asking. Let’s just wait and see what happens,” Sirius told him, moving towards the door. “We’ve still got a few days until we go back to Hogwarts, maybe the girl for Remus will show up before then.”

James sighed. “Let’s hope so Padfoot.”

Sirius swung his arm around James’ shoulder as he led him out of the bedroom. “C’mon mate, we’ll get him a girl soon enough. Even if the stupid spell doesn’t work.” 

James merely grunted in response. He was sure that the spell worked, and he was positive that they performed it correctly. They were meticulous when it came to completing new spells after all the years of pranking, becoming Animagi, and creating the map. Not to mention the mishap last year, he thought with a shudder. Maybe it was because Remus wasn’t a Potter? But the book didn’t mention anything about that. He shook his head to dismiss the thoughts as he and Padfoot bounded down the stairs. Both boys managed to push the seemingly faulty spell to the back of their minds when they left for Diagon Alley a while later with Remus and the Potters, quickly becoming distracted with the thought of stopping into Quality Quidditch Supplies. 

* * *

  
Over the next couple of weeks, James Potter and Sirius Black had managed to nearly forget the entire ordeal with the unsuccessful spell they used to try and find their lonely Moony a girl. School had started up, quidditch practices were just about every day, and they had plenty of schoolwork. Even their social lives provided a distraction as James was reunited with Lily and Sirius was once again unleashed upon the female population of the school. 

At this moment, the boys, and now Peter, were sneaking out to the Shrieking Shack to meet up with Remus. Once there, they greeted an exhausted looking sandy-haired boy with tired green eyes. 

“Thanks, guys,” Remus told them, as he did every full moon that they joined him.

Sirius rolled his eyes, “Enough, Moony, we get it. You don’t need to keep announcing your never-ending gratitude.” He paused and quirked an eyebrow. “Or is this your way of professing your love for us?” he asked with a wink. 

“Sorry, mate, I’ve got a girlfriend,” James chimed in with a grin. The other boy, Peter, nodded along with a grin as well.

As uncomfortable as Remus was feeling, he managed a slight smile at his friends’ ridiculous antics before gasping in pain and collapsing to the floor of the shack. The other boys went ahead and transformed into their various animals. Unfortunately, the werewolf’s transformation was longer and included more bones snapping and groans of pain. As Remus’ spine began to elongate, a blinding light flashed throughout the room, causing all of the occupants to squeeze their eyes shut. 

* * *

Author’s Note:  
For those of you curious :)  
Unum opus est adducer-Bring the one needed  
Horam tuam in ecclesia santorum- In the darkest hour  
Medium deducere et alia-Bring the other half


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops..forgot this last chapter:
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

** Chapter 2 **

  
Avalynn could only take the ramblings of her mother for so long. She sighed as she tilted her head to hold the phone in place on her shoulder as she took her dinner out of the microwave with both hands.

“Uh-huh, yeah. I know, mom,” she said tiredly. “I get it. I know you’re worried about me, but I’m fine.”

On the other end of the receiver, her mother said, “Honey, I just want you to be happy.”

Avalynn sighed again. “I am happy, mom. I don’t need a boyfriend to be happy.” At that moment, her Bernese Mountain dog waltzed into the kitchen, probably hoping some human food had fallen to the floor. “Besides, I’ve got Moose,” Ava said with a smile, earning a small chuckle and then a sigh from her mom. 

At the sound of his name, the white, black, and tan dog perked up and began walking over to Avalynn with his tail wagging. She smiled down at him as she pet his head. Her mom spoke again,

“Alright. Fine. If you’re truly happy, then I’ll deal with it, okay? But if you aren’t happy Avalynn, you should do something about it. Try something new. Like a blind date or something.”

“Pfft. I guess,” Ava responded with.

“Great!” her mom’s voice perked up instantly. “I know just the guy, he –”

“Mom!” Avalynn grumbled.

“Okay, okay! I’ll back off. Just let me know. Alright, I love you,” her mom replied.

“Yeah, I love you too, mom,” Ava said automatically before hanging up. She put down her cell phone on the counter and bent down to Moose’s eye level and scratched behind his ears. “I love you too, Moose. My big, fluffy man,” she told him, looking into his chocolate eyes. With a huff, Ava stood up, grabbed her phone and dinner off the kitchen counter and headed into the living room to eat and watch TV. Maybe I should just go on a date. It’s been quite a while, she thought. She was tired of her mom worrying about her, and even her two closest friends dropped hints every now and then about her trying to be in a relationship again. She shook the thoughts from her head and focused on the Supernatural rerun that was on as she finished her dinner. Eventually, she turned off the TV and lights, got ready for bed, and snuggled under the covers. Moose would always hop up on her bed while she got ready, but as soon as she pulled back the sheets to climb into bed, he’d jump down and lay on the floor next to her. Soon enough, Ava fell asleep, not knowing what world she’d be waking up in.

* * *

  
Even though the black dog, rat, and stag couldn’t see, they could all smell the scent of another person in the room. Blinking rapidly, Sirius started to sniff out the scent, trying to locate the source. It smelled floral, and as he got closer, he could make out a lavender aroma. Eventually, his vision cleared and he saw a large lump in the back corner of the room they had locked themselves in. He bolted over to what he assumed was the body of a person and once he got close enough he could sense that it was a girl, and she was definitely the fresh flowery scent in the room. He took in her dirty blonde hair and tan complexion, and quickly realized that she was unconscious. More than likely asleep, considering she looked to be wearing pajamas. Sirius couldn’t help but take a moment to look over her body, realizing how revealing the loose T-shirt and cotton shorts were. He shook his head, mentally reprimanding himself and immediately whined, trying to wake the girl up. Gotta get her outta here before Moony realizes there’s a human in here, Sirius thought. She doesn’t know that there’s a werewolf not even twenty feet away from her, he continued as he whined again, this time a little louder. He briefly considered transforming back into a human, but he’d have a better chance of protecting her as Padfoot if the werewolf woke up soon. 

In the background, James and Wormtail were slowly beginning to recover from the bright flash that had lit up the room moments ago. They could smell another person in the room as well, and desperately tried to clear their vision so they could see what was happening. James recovered first and saw that Padfoot was already attending to the person, hopefully urging them out of the room. He glanced down at his werewolf friend and thought, Thank fuck Moony is always a little disoriented for a while after he transforms.

Across the room, Sirius was thinking along the same lines, but he knew Moony wouldn’t be out for much longer. He nudged the girl’s shoulder with his nose and whined even louder this time. The girl grumbled a little and shifted, and his hopes soared as she reached out towards him, thinking that she’d finally wake up when she realized that she was touching fur. But she just pet him and mumbled, “Shush, Moose.” Moose? he thought. Sirius shook off her hand and let out a low grumble, causing Avalynn to sternly say, “Moose, be quiet.” He let out a scoff that blew some air onto Ava’s face, moving some of her hair around, giving him an idea. Padfoot started licking her face frantically, forcing a small chuckle out of the girl, and she rubbed her eyes and slowly blinked a few times. As she slowly woke up, she reached out and continued to pet Sirius. He could hear Moony start to shuffle around behind him and he took a glance back to see Prongs and Wormtail standing in front of the werewolf, blocking his path to Sirius and the girl. Turning back to the unknown girl, he whined again, louder, and used his teeth to tug on her oversized pj shirt. Ava’s eyes flicked open suddenly at the tug and she exclaimed, “Moose! No.” She frowned at the part of the room within her line of vision, realizing it looked nothing like her bedroom, with the faded wallpaper peeling and exposed wood in various patches along the wall. Avalynn glanced to her side, expecting to see her dog. “You aren’t Moose,” she said confusedly. 

Sirius was done wasting any time, Moony would be fully conscious any moment now, so he let out a low, gruff bark. Considering he was directly in front of Avalynn’s face, and she only just woke up, he scared the shit out of her. She crawled backwards from him with wide eyes until she bumped into the wall only a few feet behind her. She kept her eyes on him and held out one hand, and cautiously said, “Good, puppy. I’m not gonna hurt you.” Sirius couldn’t help but scoff at the girl. She didn’t understand that she was the one in danger.

Ava frowned. “That sounded almost like a laugh. Are you laughing at me, puppy?” 

The big, black dog in front of Avalynn seemed to roll his eyes and then started to walk towards her. Sirius couldn’t wait any longer. Ava tensed as he got closer, but held out her hand still. The dog didn’t even seem to smell her hand, but continued to step closer, into her personal space. He bit on a piece of her shirt hanging off of her shoulder and once again began to tug her towards the door. Unfortunately, Moony was regaining consciousness right next to the door, so they would need to hurry.

Ava was completely flabbergasted at this weird dream she seemed to be having. It felt real, but it definitely wasn’t because she wasn’t in her bedroom anymore. And not to mention this huge ass dog that definitely wasn’t Moose. When the dog started to tug on her shirt again, she had had enough. “Hey there, puppy,” she said as she reached for his head. Sirius tugged harder, trying to pull her to the side so that they could sneak past the werewolf. “Look, I don’t know why you’re tugging on me, but I’ll follow you, okay? Chill,” she said, grabbing his face behind both ears and scratching like she would always do to Moose. Sirius was actually distracted enough by the pleasant scratching feeling that he realized too late that the girl was moving to stand up. In the back of his mind, he knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Moony might think of her as more of a threat, but it was too late. From Ava’s position on the ground, the big fluffy dog had blocked her view of the room, and now she could see what it held, causing her to tense suddenly. Since the wonderful petting had stopped, Sirius looked up at the girl to see her standing, staring wide-eyed behind him.

He whipped around, ready to defend her against his werewolf friend, and hopefully distract him long enough for Prongs and Wormtail to get her out the door and down the tunnel. 

“What the fuck?” Ava asked. “Why is there a deer in here?” With that question uttered, the deer, the black dog, and what appeared to be a small rodent or something on top of the deer’s antlers, all turned to look at her. She almost felt like laughing, but she was feeling judged somehow by these animals. It was her dream for crying out loud, she could say whatever she wanted. And besides, deer don’t belong indoors, that’s just ridiculous. She continued to frown, making eye contact with each animal and said, “What?” She looked down at the dog, since she was used to talking to Moose around the house, and said, “You know it’s weird that a deer is inside a house, right?” The dog’s eyebrows raised and she shook her head. “Whatever.” Looking back up at the deer, she saw it’s jaw hanging open. Now she couldn’t help but let out a little laugh, causing Sirius to take a look at the deer and also let out what sounded like a chuckle at the sight that his dear friend Prongs made. Looking around the room a little more, Ava could tell it was a bit rundown, the wooden floorboards were worn and a couple were sticking up in places. Some of the room was covered in shadows, and she see could only see the few details of the room from the moonlight streaming through the windows. Hmm, she thought, must be a full moon. Now why am I dreaming that I’m in a crappy, old house with a bunch of animals? 

What Ava now realized was a rat, ewww, started scurrying all across the deer’s antlers and squeaking. Ava huffed and asked the dog, “What’s his problem?” and Sirius realized that Peter was trying to warning them that Moony was waking up. Too late, Sirius thought, as he turned to face the werewolf and moved in front of Ava. She could see how the body language of the dog had changed and that the deer and rat were now looking into a corner of the room that she hadn’t really taken in yet because it was covered in shadows. 

Slowly, a hulking, furry figure stepped out of the darkness with amber eyes gleaming. It was the biggest dog she had ever seen, with sandy-colored fur and huge paws, probably bigger than the size of her hand. “Woah, big puppy,” Avalynn said softly, causing the massive canine to perk his ears towards her.

Sirius couldn’t believe this girl and her reactions, especially to Moony. Who doesn’t freak the fuck out over a werewolf?? he thought. 

Ava may not have moved a muscle at the sight of the ginormous dog, but she was certainly panicking internally. He’s just a big dog, just a big dog. However, as Moony stepped fully out of the shadows, Ava thought, That’s a fucking huge dog. Did it get dipped in radioactive ooze as a puppy or something? Jesus. 

It was clear that the werewolf had sensed the presence of someone unfamiliar and decidedly human. He growled slightly at the deer and rat to step aside, and Prongs and Wormtail obliged, knowing that the plan would be for them to help the girl get out of the room. Padfoot was closer in size to Moony anyway, so he would be the better distraction for the werewolf. Not to mention, he was less likely to get truly hurt in a fight. As the humungous, sandy dog got closer, Avalynn could see that there was something about him that seemed very undoglike. He looked more like a wolf, especially when he bared his teeth and let out a low growl. The black dog in front of her did the same and she could see his hackles rise. She knew that these dogs were huge, but she felt the need to step in and try to stop them. Occasionally, something like that would happen at the dog park when she’d take Moose. It was probably the same here she assured herself. Just much, much bigger dogs. 

Ava cleared her throat and took small steps forward, holding out her hands in supplication. “Okay, guys, no reason to get all mad at each other. Everything’s fine,” she said soothingly. The gigantic, sandy dog looked up at Ava, but the black dog wouldn’t take his eyes off of his currently dangerous friend. When the growling didn’t continue, she praised, “Good boys. That’s it puppies, everything’s fine.” She was trying to edge her way in between the two canines, but the black dog kept heading her off.   
The wizards in the room couldn’t believe that this random girl was trying to approach a werewolf as if it was some upset pet. Sirius was becoming more concerned the closer they inched towards Moony. Ava grew tired of the fluffy, black dog cutting her off, so she quickly sidestepped him and crouched down in front of the sandy wolf-looking dog in order to appear less intimidating. At this level, the dog’s head was well above Ava’s. Her sudden movement caused Moony to tense, and Sirius to growl a warning to the human. However, Ava definitely didn’t need a warning. She knew this could be dangerous, but figured it was a dream, so what the heck, right? She gulped and very cautiously, reached out her hand for him to smell. She was now nearly face to face with the huge dog and was struggling to maintain eye contact with the piercing amber eyes, hoping that he’d be able to read her body language and sense that she wasn’t a threat.

Sirius couldn’t figure out what the hell the girl was trying to do, but she was going to get herself killed. He frantically tugged on the back of her shirt, trying to pull her away from Moony, causing her to fall backwards onto the floor. Moony growled furiously at Padfoot, making Avalynn say in a shaky voice, “Shhh, it’s alright, it’s alright,” while continuing to lay on the ground. She craned her neck to look back at the black dog and said, “It’s okay, puppy. I’m fine.” Inside, she was intensely panicking, thinking that the sandy dog might actually bite her, but she didn’t want the other dog to get hurt. Reminding herself that this was just a dream, she took a couple deep breaths and instantly calmed down. She wouldn’t actually get hurt. She had never felt pain in a dream, but it was always incredibly unsettling to get injured or even die in a dream. She’d always wake up in a panicked sweat. However, she always woke up crying from dreams where Moose got hurt or she couldn’t find him, and she thought it’d be the same if she had to witness these two dogs fight it out. She’d rather “die” and wake up, than experience that.

Sirius’ eyes flicked back and forth between Moony and the girl on the floor. He didn’t know what to do. He was worried that if he made a move now, then Moony might bite the girl. The werewolf seemed to not want him anywhere near her. Sirius glanced over at Prongs, but his eyes were glued to the scene before him. The werewolf slowly crept up the girl’s body, walking on the outside of her legs. To the girl’s credit, she managed to stay very still.

Okay, Ava, you can do this. He just a really big dog. Stay still, let him sniff you, and you’ll be fine, she thought to herself as he gradually made his way up over her body. She desperately wanted to close her eyes, but she still wanted to see what was happening. As the massive, furry body engulfed hers, Ava could feel herself starting to shake slightly. She still had one hand gently held in the air, only about a foot above her face. She tried to keep it steady as the huge snout approached it. The wolf-like dog merely nosed it aside and dipped his face towards her chest. He swept his nose up, over her breasts to her face, forcing Ava to close her eyes briefly. When a low growl started in the back of the sandy dog’s throat, her eyes snapped open to see him baring his teeth slightly. For a split second, Ava forgot this was a dream and she thought that she was going to die. This animal was definitely big enough to rip her throat out if he wanted to. She could also very much so feel the heat of its breath on her skin. Desperate, she turned her head to the side, hoping that since he looked very much like a wolf, then maybe he wanted her neck bared, rather than wanting to smell her hand. 

Ava twisted her head to the side that Sirius sat on, and she could see the panic and worry in his eyes as he sat there, shaking slightly. She thought it was odd that he seemed so set on protecting her. Behind her, she thought she heard the squeak of a rat, and some strange sort of soft braying noise. Soon, all she could hear was the wolf-dog snuffling in her ear and then down her neck. The black dog was watching the movement very closely and Avalynn could see that he was ready to spring into action at any second. Something must’ve happened that she couldn’t see because the black dog started growling suddenly and took a step forward. This caused the big dog hovering over her to let out a fierce growl in return. She was truly quivering now, and once again reminding herself that even though this might feel real, it really was just a dream. “It’s fine, puppy,” she whispered, trying to soothe the dog coming to her defense. He glanced down at her and let out a whine. She swallowed and once more said, “I’ll be fine. It’s okay.” He whined again, but sat down. “Good puppy,” she said with a slight smile. Immediately, the sandy wolf-dog had returned to her exposed neck and sniffed once more before biting down on her skin slightly. Ava was terrified, but reminded herself that that’s exactly what wolves do, so she stayed very still. The minute pressure around her neck disappeared, so she glanced up. The massive animal’s face was still directly above hers, amber eyes boring into her own.

Suddenly, the face was covering her own, and she braced for a typical dream death, but all she felt was hot wetness. When the sensation dimmed, she peeked her eyes open to see the sandy dog’s tongue coming in for another landing. She couldn’t help but let out a giggle and reach up to pet the dog. Moony was spurred on by the girl’s laugh and continued to vigorously licked her face and neck. After hearing a sharp bark to the side, both Avalynn and Moony froze and turned to see the black dog looking at them strangely. Ava would’ve said he was frowning as he glanced back and forth between her and the huge wolf-dog. After a few more licks and giggles, the wolf-dog backed off of Avalynn and yipped at the black dog and wagged his tail, bending into the play position. Ava shook her head and laughed. She slowly stood up off of the ground, causing the sandy dog to pause his movement and watch her intensely. 

“It’s okay big guy. I’m just moving out of the way,” she reassured him. Ava had noticed some cushions and blankets piled up on one wall of the room, so she headed over there to get out of the animals’ way. It even seemed like the deer and rat wanted to play too. After a couple minutes of watching them play, Ava realized that they’re the same animals that the Marauders were, from the Harry Potter series. She laughed quietly to herself and thought, No wonder there’s a deer and rat in here too. But apparently I need to cut back on the amount of fanfictions I read. It then dawned on her that the sandy “dog” must be Remus, and that must’ve been why the black dog was so protective. It’s still a pretty strange dream. Waking up in the Shrieking Shack, just to watch the Marauders play about during a full moon? She eventually got comfortable in the pile of blankets and cushions as the animals tussled together and after a good amount of time, Moony snuggled up to her. He laid his head on her lap and made sure to wrap his body around her side.

Ava laughed and said, “Well, okay then big puppy,” and proceeded to pet his head softly. After the werewolf was settled, the Animagi decided to lay down and get some sleep as well. After a few minutes, Remus, James, and Peter had nodded off and Ava was nice and comfy, so she started to fall back asleep. Sirius had no clue know who this girl was, and really didn’t understand Moony’s reaction to her, so he wanted to keep an eye on her. Avalynn was finally drifting off, still thinking that all night was a dream as she glanced over at the fluffy grim and said, “Good dream, Padfoot.” Her eyes closed before she was able to see the Animagus’ eyes go wide in surprise. The next second, his eyes quickly narrowed in suspicion. However, he was willing to let the issue rest until Remus was able to transform back and was up in the Hospital Wing. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do NOT own Harry Potter.

** Chapter 3 **

  
Ava slowly woke up, feeling too warm. She felt fur around her, so she pushed slightly and grumbled, “Moose, get down.” The canine didn’t move, so she woke herself up a little more. The sandy shade of fur in front of her eyes definitely did the trick. Feeling shocked awake, Avalynn glanced around and noticed that she was still in the Shrieking Shack with the Marauders. “What the hell?” she muttered aloud. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she saw the black dog, “Sirius”, laying in front of the door to the room. Ava wasn’t entirely sure what was happening because she had never woken up inside of a dream before. She just shrugged mentally and said, “Good morning, puppy,” to “Padfoot” with a smile. She could’ve sworn she saw his eyes narrow, and she was about to say something to him, but was interrupted by the fluffy werewolf snuggled into her side shifting his weight. 

Immediately, Prongs, Wormtail, and Padfoot were on high alert. The werewolf shook his head slightly and drowsily started to stand. Remembering that this “dog” was supposedly Remus in her dream, she realized that he must be about to transform back into his human self. I hope it’s not as bad and painful as they showed in the movies. Although, that’s what my brain has seen before, so it may pull that for my dream. Although, he doesn’t look like the werewolf in the movie, more like a wolf, she thought quickly. The werewolf was fully standing and blearily looked around before snapping his head back in Ava’s direction to lock his beautiful, amber eyes with her. Subconsciously, she smiled at Moony as she began to reach out to pet him. Suddenly, he lurched backwards and whimpered. Startled, Avalynn snatched her hand back and felt her entire body tense. Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail, as she had started calling them in her head, began pacing around the room nervously, putting Ava on edge. Without warning, Moony let out a pained howl. Almost immediately, Ava could actually hear the individual bones and joints snapping and popping back into place in between the howls of agony as the werewolf slowly became smaller. Her vision became blurred by tears brought on by the violent transformation in front of her. Slowly, the sandy fur on Remus’ body began to disappear as well, as did the cries of pain, but the wolf kept whimpering every now and then as the body of a human became more prominent. Finally, the naked body of a sandy-haired teenage boy remained.

Ava wiped her eyes as she took a shuddering breath and softly said, “He doesn’t deserve that.”

James, Sirius, and Peter quickly transformed back into the wizards Avalynn assumed they were. James wore round glasses and had black hair sticking up in all directions, of course, but he was a bit taller and less lanky than she expected. Sirius stood a couple inches taller than James, with broad shoulders, black hair just past his shoulders, and a little bit of scruff on his face that made him appear to be a few years older than she figured he was. He also happened to be glaring at her rather severely. The third boy, Peter, was fairly short compared to the other two and still had some baby fat to lose. She could also see that his hair was blonde, slightly lighter than hers. Huh, Ava thought. Doesn’t look much like a traitor. He looks so innocent. She was shaken from her thoughts when James curiously asked, “What did you say?”

“Uh,” she eloquently responded. So far in her dream, no one had spoken to her, and she was still a little thrown off by the realistic quality of the dream. Everything felt, looked, and sounded real. All three of the boys were looking at her expectantly, so she cleared her throat and said, “He doesn’t deserve that. The pain, I mean,” as she gestured towards Remus’ unconscious form. 

The expression on Sirius’ face softened a bit, but he refused to take his eyes off of her. James nodded in agreement and opened his mouth to ask where the hell she had come from, but Sirius cut him off. “Prongs, Wormtail, why don’t you two take Moony on up to the Hospital Wing, and I’ll keep an eye on our new friend here, huh? I’ll talk with her,” he told them firmly as he tipped is head in Ava’s direction.

“I’m right here, you know,” she said sternly. James and Peter cast quick glances in her direction. Peter looked mildly disturbed by Ava’s presence, but James just appeared to be intensely curious.

However, his duty as a friend came first, so James shook his head and nodded to Peter. They hoisted up Remus, one on each side, and essentially dragged him out of the room and shut the door behind them. 

Immediately, Sirius whipped his wand in Ava’s direction and growled, “Where the fuck did you come from!? And how do you know my nickname?”

Ava rolled her eyes, but held up her hands in surrender. “I don’t know how I’m here, but considering here is just a dream, why don’t you calm down a bit?”

Sirius stared at her in confusion with his mouth hanging open. “A dream?” he repeated. “This is not a dream, girl. Now, I’ll ask one more time before I start throwing hexes. Where did you come from and how did you get in here?!” he shouted. 

Ava was still sitting on the ground where she woke up and she huffed as she crossed her legs and arms in frustration. How do you explain that you’re in a dream to a figment of your dream? she pondered. 

Sirius grumbled impatiently, but Avalynn was too caught up in her thoughts to notice this. What she did notice, however, was the Stinging Hex that he sent her way. The spell has struck her in the side of her thigh, causing her to stand up and yelp in pain. “Ouch! Don’t be a dick!” she shouted indignantly as she rubbed the spot where the spell landed on her leg. She began to stomp towards him, thinking about smacking him rather hard, but Sirius quickly cast, “Incarcerous.” Before Ava even had time to protest, she was on the ground again, but this time wrapped up in ropes, with her arms pinned to her sides. Laying on the floor, she lifted her neck to take a better look at Sirius and accusingly asked, “What was that for?”

He merely shrugged and said, “Precaution.” Then he proceed to cast Expelliarmus with no avail. Ava rolled her eyes and huffed. She couldn’t keep in her chuckle when he tried a couple more times and his face turned red in irritation. “What’s so funny?” he snapped.

“I don’t have a wand, you idiot. I’m a Muggle,” she said with a grin, but then her smile dropped. Sirius was sure that if he wasn’t an Animagus, he wouldn’t have heard her next statement. “I wish I had magic though,” she whispered disappointedly, looking down at the ropes binding her.

He wasn’t sure how to handle that information, but he kept his wand trained on her just in case it was a trick of some sort. Avalynn sighed and looked up at the Animagus. “Can you please let me go? This isn’t exactly comfortable.” Sirius just stared at her in confusion. He had no idea how a Muggle could just pop up in the middle of a full moon in the Shrieking Shack. “Ugh! I just. Want. To. Wake. Up,” Ava grounded out as she struggled with the ropes. 

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why do you think you’re in a dream?” he asked. Before Ava could answer, James opened the door to the room and informed them both that Peter was staying with Remus back up at the castle. She could hear the boys whispering amongst themselves as James caught his breath from sprinting back to the shack, and occasionally they would glance over in her direction. She assumed that Sirius was relaying all the information he had learned to James, which was practically nothing. After a minute or so, Ava complained once more. “Can you please let me out of these ropes? For crying out loud.”

James sighed and said, “Finite.” Sirius gave him a hard look, so he said, “What? She’s a Muggle. What’s she gonna do?” 

“Thanks, James,” Ava quickly said as she stood up and stretched. She slowly walked over to them, trying to think of a plan to wake herself up. As she was approaching the boys, Sirius asked once more, “So how’d you know my nickname?”

Ava waved him off. “Forget about that. How do I wake up? Stupid dream,” she replied, mostly to herself, looking between the two of them.

Sirius continued his frown from before, and James laughed lightly, until the other two stared at him with raised eyebrows. Avalynn was tired of this situation, and Sirius didn’t trust this whole sudden appearance situation with the girl. James cleared his throat and said, “Right. So, uh, this isn’t a dream.”

Ava just shook her head and smiled. “Of course it is. You’re from a book,” she said, waving her hand between the two of them. The best friends frowned at her in unison, looked at each other, then back at her.

Sirius elbowed James in the side softly and muttered, “She’s crazy, mate. Like St. Mungo’s crazy.”

Ava crossed her arms and stomped her foot. “I do not need to go to the hospital. What I need to do is wake up.” Suddenly she held out her arm. “Alright, c’mon.”

The boys looked down at her arm in confusion. “What?” James asked.

“Pinch me. I’m dreaming, right? Pinch me, and I’ll wake up,” she told them.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Sirius said with a smile as he reached out to pinch Ava’s arm. Indeed, he grabbed a little patch of Ava’s skin and pinched, and it hurt like a bitch.

“Fuck!” she yelled as she snatched her arm back and rubbed the pinched spot.

Both of the boys laughed. “Well what did you expect, girl?” Sirius asked.

Avalynn scoffed. “Excuse me? Girl? I’m older than you, kid. You’re all just a bunch of teenagers.”

“Uh, you’re definitely around our age, umm, what’s your name?” James said with a frown.

She rolled her eyes, but answered with, “Ava. Well, Avalynn. But call me Ava.” 

“Okay, Ava. For starters, you are most definitely a teenager, like us. And you definitely aren’t dreaming,” James informed her. 

Ava essentially ignored his comment and decided to keep trying to wake herself up. “Alright, boys. I want one of you to slap me.” James looked completely baffled, while Sirius was grinning. Ava turned to him, expecting a willing participant.

Sirius’ eyes went wide and he shook his head. “No way, I’m not slapping you.”

“Oh, so just pinching, then?” she grumbled with narrowed eyes. “Stupid pureblood manners,” she muttered as she shook out her arms. “Okay, Ava, let’s do this.” She stilled and then suddenly swung up her hand, and slapped herself across the face. Her cheek reddened and the boys were standing there, gaping at her. “Well, shit. That actually really hurt.” Ava was finally beginning to panic. “This isn’t right. This has to be a dream. You guys aren’t real. Seriously. What the fuck?” Her breaths were coming faster as she began to pace the room. 

With the level of hysteria that the unknown girl was displaying, the boys began to consider their options. “She’s certifiable, mate,” Sirius said. “I think we should take her to Dumbledore, he’ll know what to do.” James didn’t want to get in trouble, his parents would certainly kill him this time, but he thought Sirius was right. This was bigger than they could handle. Ava was still too caught up in the fact that this was somehow real to hear what the boys were talking about. Seeing the girl walking around and occasionally put her head in her hands, James agreed. “Okay, yeah,” he told Sirius.   
They both turned to Ava and James told her that they would take her to Dumbledore. However, Sirius then pointed out that since she’s a Muggle, she won’t be able to see the castle, so the plan changed to have one of them stay there with her and the other go fetch the Headmaster. At first, Ava thought that’d be a great idea, but the tiny bit of doubt in the back of her mind stopped her from agreeing immediately. If this is just a dream, it doesn’t matter who I talk to. But look at the facts, Avalynn. You fell asleep here, you woke up here, you can clearly see, touch, and feel things. Like pain, and Moony’s fluffiness. This could be real. If, and that’s a big if, this is real, then I don’t think I want Dumbledore to know. Ava wasn’t entirely trusting of the Headmaster and how he led the Order and Harry around. He had so much information that he could’ve passed on, but he specifically chose not to. So who then? I still someone to help me figure this all out. The Marauders aren’t exactly dream, dimension-hopping, time-traveling experts. 

Once she realized who the best candidate would be, Ava nodded slowly to the boys, showing her approval of the plan to get Dumbledore, and she walked towards the boys, stepping closer to James since he was holding his wand loosely. The boys were too busy discussing whether or not they’d get detention over this situation when Avalynn quickly grabbed James’ wand right out of his hand, stepped slightly behind him, grabbing one of his arms, and pressed the wand against his neck. 

“Oi!” Sirius yelled as he pointed his own wand at Ava, but since she was using James as a shield, he didn’t have a good shot.

“I’m sorry guys, but you can’t bring Dumbledore into this. He can’t know,” she shouted at them, knowing that the older wizard would definitely value her knowledge and maybe a little too much. Sirius shouted for her to release James, and James was panicking. “Both of you, calm down,” he said loudly.

“I am calm, James. I won’t hurt you. But only if you don’t tell Dumbledore,” Ava told them. She looked at them both expectantly.

“We won’t tell him, right Sirius?” James said quietly.

“Right,” he agreed, while glaring at Ava.

“So, Sirius, please go get Professor McGonagall instead,” she said politely, as if she wasn’t holding a wand at his best friend’s throat. He nodded quickly, but growled out a threat at Ava to not harm James while he was gone. When the sounds of his departure faded away, Avalynn dropped the wand from James’ neck. 

James leapt away and turned, glaring at her. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Sorry James, but I really can’t have Dumbledore finding out about me being here, if this is real,” she told him firmly. “Besides, I don’t have magic, remember?” she added with a grin.  
The expression on his face flashed between confused and angry, then settled on amused. “Touché, Ava. Very nice,” he told her with a slight grin. After a beat of silence he asked, “Can I have my wand back then?”

She immediately replied with “Nope,” popping the end of the word. 

James sighed and grumbled, “It was worth a shot.”

They waited in silence for several minutes before James couldn’t contain himself any longer. He had been pacing the room while Ava stood, leaning against the back wall with his wand still in her hand. “Why are you convinced this is a dream?” he asked.

“You all are characters from one of my favorite book series. For this to be real would be insane,” she replied.

James shrugged. “Magic can do some pretty insane things.”

Ava grinned. “Like create a map of the school with everyone’s names on it? And show their locations in real time?”

James’ eyes widened and then he returned her grin. “You know about that?”

She nodded, “Yeah. So you think it could’ve been magic that brought me here?”

He shrugged again. After a brief moment, his eyes went wide and his head whipped to look at Ava. No fucking way, he thought. 

“James?” she asked worriedly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but then the door burst open with Sirius storming in, angry as Hell. When he noticed that Ava still had James’ wand, he raised his own to disarm her. As they waited for Sirius to return with the professor, Ava had been considering that if this world was truly real, she would need to get her shit together. Even if she didn’t have magic, she knew information from reading the book series that would be useful. She could save people. She could help them take down Voldemort even, but not on the front lines, of course. She would be defenseless and just get in the way. But then she started to think again that it would be so cool to have magic. While being a fan of the series, she always thought that it would be fantastic to have that kind of capability at your hands. Being able to finish tasks faster, save people faster, travel faster, protect yourself, create things, it’d be incredible. Just for fun, she started to run through the spells that she remembered from the series. Which is why, when she saw Sirius raise his wand at her, her body reacted by pulling James’ wand in front of herself and quickly saying “Protego!”, hoping it would do something to protect herself. 

Ava wouldn’t have known with how angry Sirius looked, but he merely yelled, “Expelliarmus!” at her, wanting to get James’ wand back. He was so angry because on the way back down from the castle, he remembered that she was just a Muggle and couldn’t do any magic. She wasn’t a threat to James at all, and he hated being made to look like a fool. What surprised the teenagers, and the professor, since she had been told that there was a Muggle girl in the shack, was that Ava actually managed to cast the spell. A light blue shield formed around her and the spell thrown at her by Sirius merely bounced off. For a brief moment, they all stood there with their mouths gaping open, until Avalynn released a sharp yelp and tossed the wand towards James. She then wrapped her arms around herself and backed into the wall, sinking to the floor, whispering to herself. “Magic isn’t real. That wasn’t real. This is just a dream.” She squeezed her eyes shut, pulled her knees up to her chest, and rested her head atop her knees, folding in on herself. “It’s just a dream, Avalynn. Deep breaths.” 

The others in the room could hear her rambling and deep breaths as they looked at each other in complete confusion. The boys didn’t understand how Ava was able to perform magic, and McGonagall mostly wanted to know where this girl came from since she wasn’t a student of Hogwarts. The professor crossed the room and approached her slowly. Once she reached the distressed girl, she bent down to her eye level. “Excuse me, miss. But do you know how you got here?” she asked politely.

Ava lifted her head to reveal watery blue eyes and tears slowly rolling down her face. McGonagall appeared just as Ava and the casting directors of the Harry Potter films thought she would. The Maggie Smith look-alike was draped in deep purple, nearly black, robes, with her brown hair tucked underneath a pointed witch’s hat. Her oval-shaped face showed an air of sophistication, and her eyes were kind, but held an intelligence that was partly why Ava wanted her over Dumbledore. Avalynn sniffled and wiped her eyes, and replied, “I don’t know. I really don’t. I don’t even know how I just did that. I don’t have magic!” She bit her bottom lip, trying to keep it from quivering. James and Sirius couldn’t help but listen in on their conversation and feel some sympathy for the mysterious girl. 

McGonagall patted Ava’s shoulder. “There, there, lass. We’ll get you sorted out,” she reassured her. Ava took a couple of deep breaths, trying to steady her breathing. “My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I’m a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mr. Black informed me that even though you may be a Muggle, or at least from Muggle descent, you are familiar with our world and magic?” Ava slowly nodded. “Now, I understand that you may be confused about the particulars of how you arrived here, but can I inquire as to why you insisted on meeting with myself rather than the Headmaster?”

Ava gulped. “I, uh, trust you more, ma’am.”

McGonagall’s eyebrows raised and she asked, “You don’t believe our esteemed Headmaster to be trustworthy?”

Well, shit, Ava thought. “Well, you see, I, um, I’m, I’m freaking out here, and I’d prefer to be looked after by someone that I believe I can fully trust. And, well, you may know Dumbledore better, but I, uh, I don’t. Trust him, that is. At least, not enough for this situation. Uh, ma’am.”

Sirius and James were gaping at her, not believing that she had the balls to practically insult Dumbledore in front of one of the teachers, and McGonagall to boot. However, the boys were not privy to the Headmaster’s true personality and whims like the professor was. She looked at the seemingly Muggle girl knowingly. “And may I ask how you believe to know me so well when I’m quite certain that we’ve never met?” McGonagall asked Ava.

Ava grimaced. “Well, that’s where this gets really complicated and I know you have some experience with,” she paused and leaned forward. The professor leaned closer as well and Ava whispered, “time-turners.” McGonagall sat back with her eyebrows disappearing nearly into her hairline, and the boys sighed at not being able to hear Ava, even with their heightened senses. “I have no idea how I got here, but it’s gotta be something like that, right? I figured that you might believe my story. And, uh, I know this might be silly, but I know I’m a Gryffindor, so you’d be my Head of House,” she continued, thinking of all the online quizzes she took obsessively. “If I were to be sorted, that is,” Ava quickly added. 

McGonagall smiled slightly. The girl appeared to be truthful and genuine, and had kept her wits about her thus far. “Oh!” Ava suddenly exclaimed. “I think James might’ve thought of something earlier before you and Sirius arrived.” She peered around the professor to see James wide eyed and Sirius looking at him in confusion. McGonagall stood and turned to the boys, with an eyebrow raised expectantly, waiting for a response from James.

“Prongs?” Sirius asked as he elbowed James in the ribs, unnerved by the looks they were receiving from both Ava and McGonagall.

James quickly glanced at his friend, then looked back at Ava. “Well, I don’t know for sure, but, uh, well…”

The professor sighed and snapped, “Get on with it Mr. Potter.”

“Wemight’vecastaspellthatbroughtAvahere,” he breathed out in a rush.

Oh, holy shit, Sirius thought as he looked at Ava with his gray eyes as wide as saucers. “Sirius?” she asked worriedly with her brows furrowed.

McGonagall cleared her throat, causing both boys to snap to attention. “Come again?” she asked.

James looked guilty as all hell at Ava and repeated, “I think we might’ve cast a spell that brought you here.” She frowned in confusion and he continued, “I’m really sorry, Ava. It sounds like it pulled you away from your life somewhere, but we promise it’s for a good thing.”

Sirius perked up at that. “Yeah, it’s for Moony.”

“Now what exactly did you two foolish boys do this time? Am I hearing this right, Mr. Potter? Mr. Black? You somehow managed to cast a summoning spell that dragged this poor girl here? In the middle of a full moon?!” McGonagall asked of them, her voice raising with each question. The professor looked down at Ava to see how she was handling this information. She just seemed to be in shock, looking in the boys’ direction in a daze. Ava was too busy trying to cope with the idea that magic might actually be real and these book characters might actually be real people. McGonagall turned back to her thoughtless students. “So? What was the spell gentlemen?”

Sirius began by explaining how they wanted to find someone for Remus, how they were just trying to help out a friend, and James picked up the story when it got to the part where his family’s grimoire came into play. By this point, the professor had heard enough. She put up her hand to silence James. “Haven’t you two learned your lesson by now? The incident from the end of last school year was not enough?” she asked sternly.

This bit of news caused Avalynn to speak up. “What happened?” McGonagall looked down at her with the corners of her lips twitching. She returned her gaze to the boys. Both of their cheeks reddened and kept glancing down at the floor, but neither spoke up. The professor cleared her throat and stage whispered to Ava, “These two thought it’d be rather entertaining to change the colors of my robes to vibrant colors, but failed to do their homework and understand the spell fully. The result was both of them being disrobed in front of myself and Professor Flitwick.” Ava couldn’t help, but grin. “Fully disrobed,” McGonagall added, glad to see the girl not crying any longer.  
Sirius scoffed. “You know you loved it, Minnie,” he announced confidently with the blush still present on his face. James tried to hide his grin as Ava stared at Sirius in shock. She quickly looked at the professor, expecting her to let him have it. But McGonagall merely smiled and shook her head and said, “Trust me, Mr. Black. It was a nightmare that I doubt myself or Professor Flitwick will ever recover from.” 

That retort caused Avalynn to burst out laughing, and she covered her mouth quickly, trying to stifle herself. Both of the boys glanced her way, grinning at first, but Sirius’ expression became stormy. “You know, Ava, you never did mention how you knew about my nickname,” he said nonchalantly as he began to slowly walk towards her. Ava immediately stood up and hid herself slightly behind Professor McGonagall. She hated looking weak, but she also knew that Sirius tended to be somewhat of a loose cannon.   
The professor sighed, looking over her shoulder at Ava and her students. “It appears as though this situation will take much longer than a single day to unravel. Why don’t we all go my office for a nice cup of tea and a talk?” she asked politely.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.
> 
> Author's Note:
> 
> So I originally published this on FFN, but I thought I'd try here as well to see if I would get any different feedback. I'm completely open to constructive criticism, so please let me know what you think! :)

**Chapter 4**

  
Avalynn agreed with McGonagall that the discussion about her appearance would be a bit of a doozy, so she said, “I think that’s a great idea.” James and Sirius looked ready to protest, more than likely being impatient to get answers, so she added, “You guys are coming too, right?”

James nodded vigorously and Sirius looked taken aback, thinking that the girl wouldn’t include them. He was still suspicious of her arrival into the Shrieking Shack considering there were wards surrounding the entire building to keep Remus in and humans out. 

The professor nodded to them and turned to leave the room, with Ava starting to follow her cautiously. She quickly cleared her throat, drawing McGonagall’s attention. “Uh, professor? Could you transfigure me some shoes?” Ava asked as she glanced down at her wiggling toes, painted a soft metallic pink. 

McGonagall smiled and replied, “Of course child. I apologize for not considering it before. Any preference?”

“Yeah, um, could I actually have black high-top Converse? Size 7 in men’s. Oh, in U.S. sizes,” Ava quickly sputtered out, feeling a little silly. McGonagall quickly waved her wand and Ava’s feet were socked and covered in the requested footwear in an instant. She broke out into a grin and emphatically said, “Thank you very much Professor McGonagall.”

Sirius made a noise of approval, gaining a brief smile from Avalynn before she turned to follow the professor out of the door. James nudged his friend with his elbow to get him moving so they wouldn’t get left behind. “Let’s go, Padfoot.”

The rest of the eerie house was in the same condition as the large room they had been enclosed in. Faded wood and peeling wallpaper everywhere, with the stairs heading up to a second floor missing a few steps. The staircase caused Avalynn to realize they were on the ground floor, and she followed McGonagall down a narrow hall that looked like it led to a small linen closet. However, once the professor had opened the door, it revealed a dark, earthy passage. Ava assumed this would lead to the Whomping Willow, and took a deep breath before stepping into the tunnel after McGonagall. The professor and teenagers trekked through the passageway in silence and near darkness, with the only light sources coming from their wands. _Another way that magic is useful_, thought Ava as she walked behind Professor McGonagall, keeping close so she could watch her steps in the light from the witch’s wand. 

After a few minutes, the tunnel began to incline slightly, and soon Ava could see a soft light ahead of the group. With the sun beginning to rise, she could clearly see the massive Whomping Willow frozen in place as she ascended from the ground. Looking around, Ava saw grassy knolls all around them with the willow standing in a sort of alcove from a hill. In the distance, she could see a huge, dark green tree line, so she pointed and asked, “Is that the Forbidden Forest?” Not hearing a response, Ava turned to see if they had heard her question. McGonagall was looking at her curiously with one eyebrow slightly raised, and the boys had their eyes narrowed in suspicion. She threw her hands up and confusedly said, “It’s just a question.”

The professor smiled slightly and replied, “Yes, that is the Forbidden Forest. I apologize for our reactions, but it is truly odd for someone not attending Hogwarts and claiming to not have magic to know about our school.” Then she turned from Ava and headed towards the top of a nearby knoll next to the willow. Ava looked to the boys, rolled her eyes at their judging looks, and exasperatedly said, “I told you. I _don’t_ have magic. What I did with James’ wand was probably just a fluke.” She didn’t wait for a response from the boys and trailed after McGonagall. Sirius shared a look with James, but they both shrugged and jogged to catch up to their professor and the strange girl. When Ava caught up to the professor, McGonagall informed her that there was a spell that she could perform for Ava that would allow her to see the castle even though she’s a Muggle. Ava smiled in response and continued up the hill.

As the group crested the hill, the immense castle of Hogwarts came into view, causing Avalynn to gasp and softly breathe out, “Holy balls. That is fucking _huge_.” She halted her movement and stared up at the enormous, gray stone structure with wide eyes, taking in the archways and turrets. It was incredible. She had always planned to visit old castles in Europe, but never got around to traveling there. However, she was certain none would be up to par with this giant. Hearing a throat clear, Ava shook her head and looked to the side to see McGonagall, whose lips were pursed but her eyes sparkled with amusement. Next to her, James and Sirius were trying to keep from laughing at Ava’s language in front of their stern Head of House, but they were failing dismally. Ava joined in on their laughter and said, “You can’t tell me that none of you had that reaction the first time you saw that behemoth looming over you,” with her finger pointed at Hogwarts. 

Professor McGonagall merely shook her head and replied, “Not with the same sort of colorful language you seem to have, young lady.” At that comment, James’ laugh escaped and he held onto Sirius’ arm for support. The professor looked Ava up and down, adding, “I guess you won’t need that spell after all. Since you can see the school on your own, you must have some amount of magic in you.”

Ava frowned, not believing that particular line of thinking. It was difficult enough for her to accept that she was truly awake in a world where magic exists. “Could it be a side effect of the spell that brought me here?” she asked while casting side glances at James and Sirius. 

McGonagall clicked her tongue and tersely replied, “I won’t know for sure until I have the opportunity to read over the spell in its entirety.” She turned to James. “Mr. Potter, I expect you to contact your parents immediately following our discussion and ask permission for the grimoire to be sent here so that I can examine it.” James nodded vehemently.

“Good”, McGonagall said as she turned back towards the castle and beckoned Ava to continue following her.

Sirius grumbled to his friend, “We’re in for it now, mate. Mum and Dad won’t be pleased.” James nodded in agreement, knowing that he would have to come clean about the spell in order for their parents to cooperate. 

As the group continued the journey through the castle to McGonagall’s office, Ava was taking in everything that she possibly could. They passed through an open courtyard with stone benches and flowerbeds sporadically placed around the edge, causing Ava to sigh in disappointment. She had been hoping they would walk through the Entrance Hall. She quickly forgot her displeasure as they stepped through a wide wooden door into the interior of the castle. Avalynn’s eyes darted all over the hallway, soaking in the suits of armor and moving portraits, as she tried to keep up with McGonagall. There was so much to look at in the corridors, she kept turning her head this way and that, causing Sirius to huff and say, “Oi, girl. Can you stop scrambling to look at everything? You’re making me dizzy. Besides, you’ve got more important things to worry about right now.”

Now if Sirius had just asked politely, Ava would’ve merely acquiesced in silence, but it seemed that the Black heir just couldn’t help himself. She slowed her walking and turned to face Sirius with her eyebrows raised. He didn’t notice Ava stop, so he nearly tumbled into her and now stood chest to chest with her. He let out a startled, “What?” and quickly received a poke to the chest from Ava.

  
“I have a name, Sirius Black. It’s Ava. Remember it. Use it,” she told him, with another poke to his chest punctuating each sentence. She slowly turned her gaze to James, who was gaping at the scene before him. He quickly flashed her a smile and said, “No problem with me _Ava_,” emphasizing her name while placing his hands up in surrender. 

Ava glanced around at portraits reaching up to the ceiling on either side of the corridor and smiled. She softly said, “You both don’t understand. You grew up with magic. For this place to be real—it’s incredible.” Avalynn returned her gaze to the boys and gave Sirius a hard look. “And I’m going to enjoy every minute of it, thank you very much,” she told him sternly, giving him another firm poke to the chest for good measure. She quickly turned back around to catch up with McGonagall, and as she neared the door leading into the professor’s office, she could hear James snickering behind her.

“Seems like you’re in the doghouse, Padfoot,” James said lightly. Sirius rolled his eyes at Prongs as he rubbed his chest where Ava had prodded him and followed the bossy girl into McGonagall’s office. 

Ava thought that the witch’s office was cozy and inviting, especially once McGonagall had lit the fireplace. The professor’s sturdy, wooden desk was placed in front of the wall directly across from the entrance to her office. There were several bookshelves lining the other three walls, only being interrupted by a tall fireplace, with picture frames on the mantel. The professor effortlessly summoned teacups and got the three teenagers settled down into comfy brown leather armchairs. For a minute or so, the only sound in the room was the crackling of logs in the fireplace accompanied by the occasional sipping of tea. Not able to stand the uncomfortable silence any longer, Ava took a couple deep breaths before stating, “I promise to tell you all the truth of everything that I know if you swear a Wizard’s Oath first.” She looked at each of the shocked faces before her as she added, “It’s honestly too dangerous to be telling everyone, so the truth needs to be kept secret.” She placed down her teacup and shrugged. “I suppose that I do trust all three of you anyway, but still. I’d really feel better knowing that you can’t share my story with anyone without my permission or on accident.”

Sirius scoffed. “You’re kidding, right? What kind of life have you got that makes you so important?”

Ava snapped her eyes to Sirius and glared at him. “Well, it’s a life that I haven’t got anymore, isn’t it? Since I’m _here_ now.”

“We’re really sorry, Ava,” James placated immediately, widening his hazel eyes. “I told you before that we didn’t mean to pull you away from your life, but we were just trying to help our friend, Remus.” He frowned slightly and asked, “How do you know about a Wizard’s Oath anyway?”

She let out a sigh of frustration and replied, “I’ll tell you as soon as you swear not to tell anyone else, unless I give you permission to.” Ava alternated giving James and Sirius a hard stare when she added, “That includes the other Marauders. And Lily. For now, at least. And definitely Dumbledore.” 

Sirius was ready to protest again, but McGonagall spoke up first. “I’ll take the oath. Boys, if you’re unwilling to take the oath, then I suggest you leave.”

The best friends looked at each other for a couple tense seconds, then nodded. They turned back to Ava and James said, “We’ll do it.” They didn’t like lying to their friends, but they couldn’t help their curiosity. Plus, if this girl was truly somehow matched to Moony, they needed to know more about her. 

Avalynn let out a breath. She was grateful that they were at least willing to hear her side of the story. “Thank you,” she told them softly. They each nodded in return.

McGonagall held up her wand and said, “I swear on my magic that I will not tell another soul about Ava’s truth and any information she may provide, unless she specifically gives me permission to do so.” 

“Thank you very much, professor,” Ava said with a slight smile.

James and Sirius repeated the same oath as McGonagall, but didn’t seem quite as sure as they spoke the statement aloud. All three of them looked at Ava expectantly, and she took a deep breath. “I know this is going to sound insane. Like really, _really_ insane. But I think I’m from an alternate reality or something because as far as I’m aware, Hogwarts, magic,” she gestured towards each of them with her hands, “and you guys, are all fictional and from a book series.” Ava couldn’t sit still, so she stood and began pacing as she continued, “One of my favorites actually. You guys are characters in the books. But of course, this is absurd, right?” She glanced at McGonagall then resumed her pacing. “But what other reason is there? I was convinced that I was _dreaming_ because I didn’t think that _magic_ and the fucking Wizarding World was real!” She was slightly out of breath and wiped tears from her eyes, then looked up to see McGonagall with one eyebrow raised and the boys trying not to laugh. After a moment, Ava realized why and turned her gaze to the professor with a sigh. “I’m sorry for my language Professor McGonagall, but this is just a lot to handle.” The professor merely nodded, so Avalynn continued, “I know things about your world because I learned it by reading the book series. I actually know _a lot_ about your world, and your future. And I definitely _can’t_ do magic. Maybe James’ wand had some magic leftover in it or something. I don’t know how I did that spell. I most certainly don’t have magic.” Ava let out a hysterical laugh as she stopped pacing. “What the _hell_ am I thinking?! Magic! Magic isn’t real. This has gotta be a dream. Just a really compelling dream.” Ava nodded once, seeming to have reassured herself that she was still unconscious in her bed, sleeping with her dog Moose beside her.

Jumping at the chance to interject while Ava caught her breath, Professor McGonagall gently asked, “Why must this be a dream? Why can’t magic be real?”

Ava’s head quickly came up to look at the older witch. “Why? Uh, maybe because that would mean that I’m a long way from home, which I may or may not be able to get back to? Or that my poor dog and my family and my friends are probably waiting for me back in another _world_?!” she asked sarcastically, throwing her hands in the air. Ava let out a sudden gasp and locked eyes with McGonagall. “Or that fucking _Voldemort_ is real,” she added in shocked voice. Ava missed the flinch from Professor McGonagall at the use of You-Know-Who’s name and the boys’ eyes going wide at the implications behind her statement as she shook her head quickly and muttered, “Nope, not doing it. I’m dreaming.” She turned from the professor and the boys, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing the palms of her hands over them.

James and Sirius couldn’t seem to do anything besides sit in their seats, absolutely bewildered, with their mouths hanging open. Professor McGonagall had plenty of experience soothing upset teenagers, but it was usually about missing home or a bad breakup. She had certainly never consoled students because of their lives being turned this upside down before, but she was going to try. The older witch rose from her seat and slowly approached Avalynn, quickly deciding how to handle the girl’s behavior. Once within reaching distance, she cleared her throat and firmly said, “Now, I understand being upset with your situation, but there’s no sense dwelling on whether you are dreaming or not. It may be hard to believe, young lady, but you most certainly are _not_ dreaming. You are awake and you are in the Wizarding World.” 

Ava turned to look at McGonagall with watery, pleading eyes. “What do I do?” she asked in a small voice. James and Sirius looked at each other regretfully. They just wanted to help Moony, and they hadn’t meant for it to happen this way. 

“Miss—Ava, you say that all you know about magic and the Wizarding World comes from a book series?” the astute professor asked. Ava nodded. 

“So in your world, or reality, magic did not exist?” the professor prodded. 

Ava nodded and responded, “Right. If there was magic, wouldn’t the Ministry have stopped the author from publishing the books for the Statute of Secrecy?”

The older witch nodded in agreement, pleasantly surprised. James and Sirius were once more flabbergasted. James was shaking his head slowly as Sirius irritatingly asked, “How do you know so bloody much about our world?”

“Language, Mr. Black,” the professor admonished and his fierce expression softened before he muttered, “Sorry, professor.” 

Ava sighed and rolled her eyes. “I literally just told you. I’m a big fan of the books.” She looked down at the floor with a blush rising to her cheeks as she mumbled, “I’m a _really_ huge fan, actually,” thinking of the Deathly Hallows watercolor tattoo on her shoulder blade.

Curiosity peaked, James asked, “Why do you like the books so much?” 

Avalynn peeked up to see that even McGonagall was waiting for an answer. “Well, uh, magic, first of all. Magic would be so cool if it was real.” She frowned. “If it wasn’t real, I mean. Obviously it’s real here, for you guys. Every kid wishes they had some sort of superpower or something. And the adventure and storyline are great too.” Ava’s frown deepened. “But it’s not just a story here, is it? It’s real.” She let out a puff of air and looked at the professor with concern in her blue eyes. “There’s a lot that we need to talk about. If this really is real, then there are some serious issues that need to be handled as soon as possible,” Ava grumbled, thinking of Voldemort and the First Wizarding World that was just starting. She took a deep breath, knowing that she’d get some resistance for her next statement. “I may not be able to do magic, but I’d like to join the Order.” 

The professor’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline, similar to James. Sirius scoffed and said, “You even admitted it. You can’t do real magic. How could you contribute to the cause?” 

Ava rolled her eyes. _How thick can he be?_ she thought. “Obviously. I have information, you know, from the books,” she replied slowly, not holding back her condescension. 

McGonagall nodded knowingly. “We can discuss that further later. At the moment, we should focus on determining how you arrived here, if possible.” She then looked to James and asked, “What was the purpose of the spell you cast for Mr. Lupin?”

James gulped and replied, “It was a spell used to match people with their soulmates.”

Ava released a shrill, “What?!”, causing the boys to flinch.

McGonagall’s face bore a look of surprise, but then her expression turned stern. “I have to ask. Did this spell have any malicious intent behind it?” 

James shook his head vigorously. As if they would do such a thing. Sirius grimaced and spoke up, “Well, not malicious exactly, but it was sort of gray magic.”

Both Ava and McGonagall narrowed their eyes at him. “What do you mean?” Ava asked quickly.

He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of what they had done for the first time. He looked to James quickly and saw that his friend was just as uncomfortable as he was. “The spell had no bad intentions behind it. We actually had to have the best of intentions for Remus, but we had to use some of his blood.”

At that confession, Professor McGonagall gasped, causing Ava’s head to whip towards her. “Professor?” she asked shakily. The older witch merely shook her head and said, “I need to see the spell book first.” 

Ava nodded in understanding, then questioned, “So the spell somehow brought me here?”

“It appears to be that way,” McGonagall stated. “At what point during the night did you arrive?” 

Ava frowned and replied, “I must’ve been asleep.” She nodded slowly and added, “Yeah, I was asleep. James, Sirius, do you guys remember when I showed up?”

The boys both looked at each other in nervousness once more. Sirius looked resolutely around the room while James hung his head and softly told them, “Right when Moony started to transform.” 

Ava wasn’t sure what to do with this information, so she looked to the professor and was startled to see fire in her eyes and her wand hand twitching. McGonagall’s tone was harsh when she said, “You boys play around a lot, but you better have learned your lesson this time. I’ll not tolerate it again. This poor girl was forced to appear during a full moon and could have lost her life! You may not be Hufflepuffs, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be considerate of others. Did you even hesitate and think of the person that this spell would call upon?”

The boys looked to Avalynn with shame and regret in their eyes, and James’ eyes even looked to be watery from where she was sitting. She sighed internally and decided to speak up on behalf of the boys. “Professor, Remus didn’t hurt me or anything. I mean, for a minute there it was touch and go,” she said with a slight chuckle before seeing the older witch’s unamused look. Ava cleared her throat and continued. “Right, well, um. He didn’t bite me. He growled a bit, but I think that was actually directed more at Sirius than myself. Moony actually licked my face and then wanted to play.”

McGonagall’s severe expression dropped at Ava’s information and she slowly asked, “Is that so?”

Ava nodded and replied, “Yes, ma’am. I really don’t think James and Sirius knew that I’d show up during a full moon, but no one was hurt anyway. Please don’t let them get in any trouble for it. It seems like they know they’ve screwed up badly enough as it is.” She shifted her gaze from the professor to the boys, who were gaping at her with wide eyes. She kept surprising them with her behavior. Sirius assumed that she’d want them torn apart for forcing her from her life somewhere else.

The professor merely made a noise of acknowledgment before adopting a softer expression on her face and announcing, “I believe you have magic in your blood Ava.” The girl started to protest, but McGonagall rose her hand and continued quickly, “Whether you believe it or not, you do. Otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to cast that shield, or see Hogwarts.” She paused, letting the idea settle in Ava’s mind. “Now, what I’d like to do is have you run through some diagnostic tests before we determine where to place you.”

All three of the teenagers frowned as Ava asked, “Place me? Place me where?”

McGonagall smiled. “Your classes of course. This is a school after all.”

Ava’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Are you serious?”

“No, I am,” Sirius quickly interjected with a charming smile. James rolled his eyes and said, “Not really the time, Pads.”

Ava shook her head as she giggled. “I cannot believe that you just said that.” The boys returned her grin and Ava looked back to the professor. “Are you telling me that you plan on me staying here? At Hogwarts? And having me learn magic?”

McGonagall nodded with a soft smile.

Ava eyes widened as she let out a breathy, “Holy shit.”

“Language, young lady,” the professor reprimanded firmly before she continued on, “If you are indeed a witch, then you must learn how to control it. Besides, Hogwarts is open to everyone who needs it.”

Ava was excited for the first few moments, but now she was panicking. Reading about a magical world in a book and enjoying the story and characters from afar is much different than actually living it. She began to pace again and started to ramble her thoughts aloud, “But I’ll be so far behind because of my age.” She paused and shook her head before resuming to wear a hole in the carpet. “Nope, I’m a teenager again. Well, still, not eleven. But what about a wand? And supplies?” She frowned with the realization. “I don’t have any money. Or a home. I could just stay at the school I suppose. Well, until summer. And I’ve got to talk to the Order. And I’ll need a job. Wait, what about my blood?” She stopped dead in her tracks and whipped around the face McGonagall and the boys. “My blood status?” she practically shrieked. 

“What of it, young lady?” the professor huffed out. James and Sirius both looked defensive, ready to yell at Ava to rip her a new one for being a prejudiced bigot about blood status.

“Let’s say I do have magic. _If_ I do, then I’m Muggleborn, right? I can’t be right now. I mean, well, I could be, but it’s not exactly safe. And with the added bonus that I know what Voldemort’s up to, I’d have an even bigger target on my back.” Ava thought quickly and gulped, turning to face the professor fully. “Whose last name could I get away with using? Just so I could appear to be a half-blood.”

McGonagall pursed her lips and furrowed her brows in concentration.

Ava looked to the boys, but they both shrugged. She sighed and returned her gaze to the professor. 

“Young lady, you say that you trust me?” McGonagall asked, piercing Ava with an intense gaze.

Ava nodded vigorously, “With my life.” 

The older witch looked slightly surprised, as did the boys. _She literally just met us several hours ago_, thought Sirius. 

McGonagall hummed in consideration. “Very well. I will allow you to assume my last name in order to pose as my niece.”

All three of the teenagers were shocked once more. Ava started to protest and shake her head. “Professor McGonagall, that’s too much to ask for. You don’t even know me. You’re willing to be responsible for me?” 

McGonagall smiled softly. “Yes, Ava. You appear to be truly earnest in learning about magic and aiding in the war effort against You-Know-Who.” She frowned and sighed. “I have a feeling we’ll be needing all the help we can get.”

“We can help, professor,” Sirius exclaimed. James agreed with a grin and added, “Yeah, of course we’ll help.” Ava grinned. Of course they would jump at the chance to help and join the Order. Especially, since she assumed that James’ parents were part of the underground group. 

But McGonagall just waved them off. “We’ll discuss that at a later date. We need to get Miss Ava McGonagall settled in first,” she finished with a smile. Ava returned the grin, so she continued, “My brother passed away several years ago, and his American wife recently passed as well.”

Ava nodded, understanding where McGonagall was going with this. “It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that I’m under your custody now since my parents can’t look after me. We’ll have to say that I’m sixteen then, so I’m not of age yet, and it’ll be more believable.”

The older witch was once again pleasantly surprised with the girl’s knowledge and forethought. “Since you have no true understanding of magic, I believe that it would be understandable if your mother raised you as a Muggle once my brother had died, since it was before you turned eleven, and she kept you in Muggle schools.” She nodded to herself and added, “And you are only now finding out that you’re a witch.” 

Ava frowned slightly. “Is that a good idea?”

Before the professor could explain, James piped up with, “Well, how else are you gonna explain that you’re sixteen and you can only do the magic of a first year?” 

“Well, I suppose,” Ava said softly, then she huffed and crossed her arms as she sat back down in her chair. “Is _Protego_ a first-year spell then, Sirius?” she asked with a knowing smirk. 

The Black heir sputtered and gestured frustratedly with his arms, “Oh yeah? Well, I didn’t know that you had magic, Ava,” causing James and Ava to laugh at his amusing display of outrage.

McGonagall’s lips twitched slightly before she announced, “Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, off to bed with you. It’s still the wee hours of the morning, and if I recall, you both have quidditch practice later this morning. And please remember to not speak of Miss Ava McGonagall and what was said here. Trust me, you won’t like the consequences of speaking on this matter without her permission.”

Before the boys could even leave their seats, Ava quickly added, “And don’t tell Remus anything about the spell either.”

Both of the boys groaned. “More secrets?” James griped. Sirius had his eyes narrowed at Ava and seemed to be thinking along the same lines as James.

She shrugged, looking at the ground and timidly said, “Well, what if the spell doesn’t do what you said? Or what if it _is_ exactly as you said?”

The boys looked at each other and then back to Ava, who had not once shown herself to be shy since she appeared in the Shrieking Shack. “How do you mean?” Sirius asked hesitantly.

Ava couldn’t bear to look at anyone as she voiced her thoughts. “Um, well, I mean, what if—what if I _am_ supposed to be his soulmate, but he doesn’t want me or he feels forced because of the spell?” She neglected to raise her eyes at this point, so she missed the desperately remorseful expressions on the boys’ faces. They were now fully realizing how little they had thought through the spell for their furry friend. James vowed to get his hands on the Potter family grimoire as soon as possible so that they could figure out exactly what the situation between Remus and Ava meant. 

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem, Ava. Ol’ Moony is gonna love you,” Sirius said confidently with a smile. Ava lifted her gaze to give him a soft smile at his attempt to cheer her up as he stood from his chair. James stood to join him and determinedly said, “I’ll owl my parents right now.”

They turned to Ava to wave goodbye as they walked out the door of McGonagall’s office and Sirius said, “I guess we’ll see you later.” She nodded in agreement and James quickly repeated an apology for the entire situation, receiving another silent nod from Ava.

Once the boys had left for the Owlery and Gryffindor Tower, McGonagall and Ava discussed their plans for the day. Apparently, it was a Friday and the professor only had two classes and would be done teaching by lunch time. After her classes, McGonagall would come collect Ava and take her to Diagon Alley to purchase a wand and school supplies, as well as clothes and other necessities. Again, Ava attempted to protest, but the older witch waved her off with a friendly smile, claiming that she needed someone to spend money on anyway with her having no children or real nieces in her life. Ava returned her smile and thought that she might actually enjoy experiencing Hogwarts as a student with the professor as her pseudo aunt. However, McGonagall thought it would be in everyone’s best interests to visit the Headmaster before the day got started.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

Chapter 5

"Are you positive about this?" Avalynn asked worriedly, her hands toying with the sleeves of the navy witches' robes that her "aunt" transfigured for her from the pajamas she had been wearing when she'd arrived in the Shrieking Shack.

McGonagall kept herself from rolling her eyes at Ava's third attempt to stop the visit to Professor Dumbledore. As they walked towards the Headmaster's office she firmly told her newly adopted niece, "Yes, Ava. This is necessary. I will do most of the talking, so do not fret." She lowered her voice and leaned closer to the girl. "Just don't maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds."

Ava stopped walking as her jaw dropped, understanding what the professor meant. She quickly shook her head and took long strides to catch up with her guardian. _You can do this Ava. Just pretend to be shy. Yeah, that should work_, Ava thought. As the gargoyle statue came into sight, the young woman shook her hands at her sides and bounced a little on her toes as she followed Professor McGonagall. _I've got this_, was the thought running through Ava's mind as she heard the professor mumble, "Licorice wands." Ava jumped slightly when the gargoyle began to move, revealing the staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office. As nervous as she was, she knew that McGonagall would be with her. _And how else do I expect to become a student of Hogwarts without discussing my abnormal situation with the Headmaster? _she reminded herself. Ava let out a deep breath as they reached the top of the stairs and McGonagall knocked on the door. She could hear a muffled, "Come in," right before the door opened on its own.

She silently followed McGonagall into Dumbledore's office, unable to help herself as she glanced around the room, looking over the shelves full of magical objects and trinkets. Her eyes eventually landed on Fawkes, perched next to Dumbledore's desk. Ava left out a soft gasp seeing his colorful feathers in person. Her noise of delightful surprise drew the old wizard's attention.

"Who might this be Professor McGonagall?" he asked curiously, peering at Avalynn over his half-moon shaped glasses.

Ava's gaze flickered to his as her "aunt" explained the unfortunate circumstance of her mother's death, resulting in her arrival to Hogwarts. She made sure to break eye contact with the Headmaster soon after looking into his bespectacled blue eyes, dropping hers to the floor. Throughout the retelling of Ava's cover story, Dumbledore made several noises of sympathy and surprise. Once McGonagall was finished explaining, he asked, "Do you wish to stay here and learn magic?" directing the question at Ava.

She quickly glanced up and nodded immediately, vehemently saying, "Oh yes, sir."

The old wizard gave her a genuine smile and clapped his hands together. "Well, it's settled then. You'll be enrolled as a student, we'll have you sorted, and we'll have a class schedule ready for you by Monday." He turned to McGonagall and added, "I'm sure you've already considered how to place her in classes?"

The older witch nodded once and explained, "Yes. I'll have her perform some diagnostic tests and place her into classes based on her abilities. Her accidental magic seems to be stronger than those of young children as we normally see, so she may surprise us." She smiled slightly and continued, "Due to my niece's background, it would not be surprising if she is in classes under seventh year, where she would be if she had been attending Hogwarts since she turned eleven. I intend to have her complete the typical course work and spells for each year and continuously move her up in classes as her skills progress."

The Headmaster nodded in agreement. "I believe that would be the best course of action as well. I also think that Miss McGonagall would benefit from tutoring outside of her classes in order to help her advance more quickly." He turned his gaze to Ava and inquired, "Is that suitable to you, Miss McGonagall?"

Once again, Ava nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. I appreciate you allowing me to stay and finally learn magic."

Dumbledore smiled at her kindly. He believed there to be more to the story of the young witch, but he could not sense any ill-will from her, and McGonagall was willing to stand by her, which meant a great deal to the Headmaster. "Of course. I can imagine how eager you are to learn and practice magic so late in life."

Ava merely nodded again, turning to McGonagall, waiting to see if she had anything else to add to the conversation. "I would also like to express my gratitude Headmaster, thank you," the professor said while bowing her head slightly.

"You are most welcome." Once more, he clapped his hands together, wordlessly summoning the Sorting Hat from one of the shelves in his office. "Now, we must get you sorted so you'll know what robes to buy," he informed Avalynn with an amused smile. He was rather curious to see where the mysterious young witch would be placed.

Ava gulped, taking in the appearance of the patchy, dark brown Sorting Hat as she cautiously approached Dumbledore's desk. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder at Professor McGonagall, who gave her an encouraging smile and nod. Ava turned back to the Headmaster and nervously asked, "So, do I just put it on?"

Dumbledore looked at her with an amused expression, as if she were a small child, causing her to berate herself mentally for being so skittish. She reached out and gingerly picked the large, floppy hat off of the desk. Slowly, she lifted it above her head and let it drop quickly, not wanting to delay the experience any longer.

_Hello there_, the hat grumbled, causing Ava to jump slightly. It sounded as if she were wearing headphones when the hat spoke, the voice seemingly loud, but it didn't appear that Dumbledore or McGonagall could hear the voice as well. Maybe it was in her mind. Ava closed her eyes in concentration and thought, _Hello?_

_Oh my, you are rather intelligent. Most children are too startled to respond during their sorting. Although it seems that you are older, wiser_, the Sorting Hat replied.

Ava shrugged. _Well, I'm sixteen instead of eleven._

_Liar_, the hat accused with a chuckle.

Ava gulped. _Shit. I, um—_

_Tsk, tsk, young witch. Such language in front of a respectable magical item as myself_, the teasing hat admonished. _Do not fear witchling. I have no issue with your true identity. In fact, I'm rather curious to see how it plays out._

Ava couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Great. Well, please don't place me in a house just for fun. Please place me where I belong._

The Sorting Hat was silent for a moment. _Hmm, not quite a Hufflepuff. A tad of Ravenclaw with a thirst for knowledge, but that's not why you're here is it? No. Gryffindor could be a good choice._

_Thank you baby Jesus_, Ava thought, but the hat wasn't finished.

_Ah, ah. You could do well in Slytherin as well, you know. It seems that you can be rather cunning and the task you're attempting to complete is certainly the most ambitious I've ever seen._

Ava's eyes widened in shock. _Please not Slytherin. I might have those traits, but I wouldn't fit in. I'd never be able to stay under the radar. It would be too dangerous._

The Sorting Hat released a sound of agreement. _Hmm, that is true. You can be rather brash and emotional it appears. _Ava rolled her eyes. _However, the task you have chosen to take on is also the most courageous I've ever seen._

_Please, I don't know if I could survive in Slytherin, _Ava pleaded.

The hat huffed, thinking that sorting her into the house of snakes would've been more entertaining, but fortunately the animated accessory acknowledged that Ava's goal could be hindered by that choice. A moment later, The Sorting Hat loudly declared, "Gryffindor!" to the office, interrupting the casual conversation between the Headmaster and McGonagall, and causing both of them to break out in smiles. McGonagall approached her niece as she replaced the Sorting Hat onto the desk and wrapped her up in a hug, muttering, "You were right, Ava. I know you'll make our house proud." When she pulled back, she noticed that Ava's eyes were watery.

The young woman sniffled, "Thank you, Aunt Minerva." The professor's face revealed her surprise at Ava's use of the familial title, but it quickly softened and she pulled Ava in for another brief hug. Dumbledore was happy for his Deputy Headmistress as she had always seemed a little lonely without any close family to speak of, not that he had much room to talk, but it warmed his heart to witness this touching moment.

McGonagall detached from Ava and turned to Dumbledore, stating, "I intend to take Ava to Diagon Alley after I finish my classes this morning, and I assure you that she will be prepared for learning come Monday morning."

"A bid you a good day of shopping then, ladies," he replied politely. Ava quickly thanked him again for the opportunity and then traipsed down the stairs after her adoptive aunt. She could barely contain her excitement, alternating between skipping and bouncing on her toes ahead of Professor McGonagall through the corridor leading back to the teacher's office and living quarters. Ava was so caught up in her excitement that she was unable to prevent a collision between herself and another person, causing them both to topple to the floor in a tangle of limbs. McGonagall let out an exasperated breath, and stopped to wait for Ava to right herself.

"I'm _so _sorry," Ava immediately apologized as she sat up from the ground and tried to see who she had bumped into. The student's robes had actually flipped over the front of his or her body, concealing their identify momentarily. Ava giggled at the person's struggle, and decided to help when a muffled groan followed. Once the robbed were righted, she took in the appearance of the wizard she collided with. He had black hair, probably about to his shoulders, but tied back with a ribbon. _Probably a pureblood_, Ava thought. When he finished grumbling about the fall and fixed his robes, he stood, then offered his hand to Ava like a perfect gentleman. As she was being lifted from the ground, Ava took in his stormy gray eyes, very similar to that of Sirius Black. _This has got to be Regulus, right?_ He looked to be only a couple years younger than herself and the Marauders.

Rather quietly she said, "I'm sorry for crashing into you. I'm Avalynn McGonagall. I'm a new student. It's a pleasure to meet you." She stuck out her hand to shake his, but was shocked when he grasped her hand gently and raised it to his mouth to place a soft kiss on her knuckles. Dumbfounded, she slowly retracted her hand with a blush forming on her cheeks, causing Regulus to smile slightly.

"It is most definitely a pleasure to meet you, Miss McGonagall. My name is Regulus Black," he informed her in a light tone. _I knew it_, Ava thought as she smirked internally. Regulus turned to acknowledge her aunt with a brief, "Good morning, Professor McGonagall," before he continued down the corridor. Ava couldn't help but stare after him in amazement. She had totally forgotten about Regulus. There must be some way to prevent his death and still obtain the locket horcrux. Besides, she was still flushed from the whole "kiss on the hand" thing. No one had ever done that to her before.

Avalynn shook her thoughts from her head when she was interrupted by a throat clearing. She looked at the source of the sound to see her aunt shaking her head slightly with a small smile. "Come my dear, I want to get you settled in my rooms before I attend breakfast in the Great Hall." She paused and then turned to look at Ava fully. "That is, unless you would like to accompany me there."

Ava immediately shook her head no. "I have no desire to be in the Great Hall right now. Everyone's eyes would be on me the entire time. I can just have the house elves bring me food in your rooms, right?"

McGonagall chuckled. "It's an absolute delight to be continuously surprised at your knowledge of our world just from a simple book series from _another reality_. At least, that's where I'd wager you were summoned from."

Ava sighed. "I have no real hope of returning home, do I?" she softly asked the professor, turning her gaze to the floor. Her guardian's smile dropped and was replaced by a concerned frown. Before she could attempt to console the poor girl, Ava shrugged and added, "I suppose that I should at least figure out all this soulmate business between myself and Remus."

Ava was too busy trying to distract herself from thoughts of home by tracing the patterns of the corridor's rug with her eyes, otherwise she would've seen McGonagall's relief. The professor wasn't sure what to tell her adopted niece about the possibility of returning to her world and didn't want to give her any false hope. She gently placed her hand on Avalynn's shoulder. "Why don't we head back to my quarters and I'll set you up with a couple books to help you familiarize yourself with the Wizarding World a bit more, hm?" she suggested. Ava nodded once and began to slowly walk in the direction they had come from earlier that morning. She hoped that with her sense of direction and memory that she'd quickly learn her way around the castle. _Ooo, I could ask the boys for the map_, she thought excitedly. Then Ava frowned, realizing that they probably didn't trust her enough with that kind of resource in her hands. _Maybe once they get to know me_, she hoped.

The professor led Ava into her personal quarters, which were decorated similarly to her office. The main difference that she noticed was that instead of just armchairs, the living space had a full sofa as well. Ava let out a happy sigh and immediately plopped herself down on the soft cushions. McGonagall let out a small chuckle as she summoned her latest copy of _Hogwarts, A History_. Eyeing the title from her comfortable spot on the couch, Ava thanked the professor for her thoughtfulness, which was waved off by the older witch, of course.

"Ya might not even need it, lass. Not with your…experience," she told Avalynn. "Now, I must be on my way to breakfast. I trust you'll be alright until I return?" she asked with a look of genuine concern on her face.

Ava nodded instantly. "Yep, I'll be fine," she reassured the professor. McGonagall gave her a quick nod and reminded her that she'd be back around noon before quickly saying, "Flopsy!" With a small crack, a tiny brown and wrinkly house elf appeared, wearing what looked like a miniature toga. "Can you please serve my niece, Ava, breakfast?" McGonagall asked.

The elf's eyes widened and she jumped in place as she noticed the young girl laying on the sofa. "Of course, professor," she squeaked out. After giving Ava one last look-over, the older witch turned and left to attend to her teacher duties for the day.

Ava sat up and kept her eye on the curious house elf. "Hi, Flopsy, I'm Ava," she told the small creature who looked like she was struggling to contain her excitement.

Flopsy quickly disappeared from across the room and reappeared right in front of Ava, causing the girl to jump backwards in surprise. The elf's happy expression immediately crumbled and she began to take steps backwards while apologizing profusely for scaring the "Missus McGonagall." Ava rapidly explained that she was not scared, just surprised, and pleasantly so since she had never met a house elf before. Thankfully, the house elf understood her reaction and offered to bring her breakfast.

Ava thought for a moment and shyly asked, "Could I have scrambled eggs and French toast?" She felt super awkward asking for something that the elf might have to make individually for her, but she also knew from the book series that the elves supposedly enjoyed serving wizards and witches. Flopsy nodded enthusiastically and was about to vanish when Avalynn quickly reached out and grabbed Flopsy's tiny hand. "Wait!" she shouted. "Do you like working here? At Hogwarts?"

The elf's eyes widened as she firmly replied, "Oh yes, Flopsy is loving Hogwarts Missus McGonagall. Hogwarts is a good place for Flopsy."

Ava nodded and released her hand. "Okay, just checking. Thank you, Flopsy." The house elf nodded with a smile and disappeared for a couple minutes, quickly returning with the exact food that Ava had requested as well as glasses of water and orange juice.

Avalynn's eyebrows rose in surprise and she slowly asked, "Flopsy, how did you know what I was going to ask to drink?"

The little, mischievous elf just flashed Ava a wide grin and cheekily said, "Magic."

Ava stared at her in shock for a brief moment and then let out a peal of laughter. "I like you Flopsy," she informed the house elf, causing her to maintain her giant smile.

"Just call for Flopsy Missus, if yous be needing anything," Flopsy reminded Ava before leaving once again.

Alone at last, Ava let out a sigh and dug into her breakfast, feeling ravenous. As she ate, her mind worked in overdrive, reviewing all that had happened since she awoke in the Shrieking Shack. She still couldn't believe that magic was real and that she was actually sitting in Professor freakin' McGonagall's living room in an actual castle. She couldn't help but grin to herself. _I'm in motherfuckin' Hogwarts!_ she mentally shouted. She sobered when her brain supplied the reason she was here in the first place. _So, I'm supposedly Remus' soulmate?_ she thought as she drizzled more syrup onto her French toast. _I'm guessing it's a romantic kinda soulmate, but I suppose it could be like a friendship soulmate sorta thing too_, she rationalized to herself. Thinking on Remus' personality in the book series and the drastic measures James and Sirius took to help a fellow bro out with his love life, Ava assumed that he was probably too harsh with himself for being a werewolf and had sworn off the opposite sex. _Although, I could just be here as a shoulder to cry on, so to speak_, Ava reminded herself.

As she continued to eat her meal, Ava's thoughts drifted to thinking about her world and what could possibly be happening there now. She wondered how long it would take for someone to notice she was gone. _I hope it's soon enough for Moose to be okay_, she thought worriedly. _Mom will probably freak out and come over the second I don't answer my phone_. Ava usually spoke with her mom on the phone every day or every other day. Sometimes she felt like she was an antisocial loner, since she just wanted to stay home and curl up on the couch with her fluffy dog and a good book or TV show. Her friends would have to drag her out of her apartment and bribe her with good food. Avalynn smiled, thinking about her tenacious best friends, then mentally rolled her eyes at the thought of them finding out about her having a "soulmate." They were fairly insistent that she go out on more dates to find "the right one" because she always seemed to find something wrong with the guys they set her up with, so the relationships never lasted long. The longest relationship she had was about three months. She could imagine her friends' ecstatic faces at the mention of a "soulmate."

Avalynn didn't realize that she had been crying until several tears had rolled down her face and neck. She wiped them away, trying to shake the thoughts from her head about never seeing her friends, mom, or dog again. _This is temporary, Ava. Everything will be fine_, she told herself. Full of tasty food and not wanting to wallow in her emotions, Ava picked up _Hogwarts, A History_ and began reading. Most of the information about the school was information she already knew, but the houses were described in a bit more detail and the layout of the castle was too. After mere minutes, she was beginning to drift off to with her head propped up on one hand and the other attempting to keep the heavy tome from falling out of her lap. With a disgruntled sigh, Ava sluggishly closed the book and set it on the table in front of the couch. She wished that she could continue reading, but she couldn't keep her eyes open to save her life right now. _I'll just rest my eyes for a little while_, she thought as she re-positioned herself into laying down on the sofa with her head on a pillow that had a cat stitched onto the front of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.
> 
> Author's Note: Please let me know what you think in a review! Constructive feedback is always welcome :)

Chapter 6

The Great Hall was filled with loud chatter from the students as they ate their breakfasts. From the Head Table, Professor McGonagall was watching two students in particular, hoping that they would handle the current situation with more grace and sensitivity than they were really known for. Peering over her cup of tea, she saw another Marauder approach James Potter and Sirius Black who were speaking to one another in what looked like heated whispers.

As Peter Pettigrew approached his two friends at the Gryffindor table, Sirius and James separated themselves and tried to appear nonchalant. They knew because of the Wizard's Oath that they had taken in the early hours of the morning, they wouldn't be able to divulge any information to their friend about what happened with the girl. _Ava. Her name is Ava_, Sirius reminded himself with an internal eyeroll.

"Hey, guys," Peter greeted as he sat down and began to fill his plate with food. "Remus is doing well, according to Madame Pomfrey. Better than usual, actually," he informed Sirius and James.

The two boys looked at each other subtlety, trying to silently communicate how they would skirt around the fact that a mysterious girl had shown up in the middle of Remus' transformation. They also hadn't taken the time to tell Peter about the soulmate spell since it didn't seem to take, so they couldn't even tell him that bit about Ava.

James cleared his throat and lightly said, "Well, that's good to hear." He raised his eyebrows at Sirius, indicating that he should contribute to the conversation.

Sirius nodded quickly and added, "Yeah, mate. That's great news." He fidgeted in his seat before asking in a rush, "So, you ready for that test in Potions next week?" James and Peter immediately froze with their forks halfway to their mouths and looked at Sirius in blatant shock.

Peter had a frown on his face as he stated, "You _never_ talk about schoolwork."

James quickly let out a false laugh, trying to play off Sirius' comment as a joke. "Good one, Padfoot," he said as he patted the Animagus' shoulder and gripped it tight.

Sirius flinched slightly, then shrugged. "I guess I'm still worn out from last night with Moony," he grumbled, trying to explain away his odd question.

"Oh, yeah! It was crazy last night! Whatever happened to that girl?" Peter asked excitedly.

It was a moment before James answered, "Uh, she was actually trying to get into Hogwarts, but, uh, ended up in the Shack." The messy haired boy looked to Sirius for some help.

Sirius quickly finished chewing his bite of food and cleared his throat. "Yeah, she's McGonagall's niece. She's a new student here apparently." Thankfully, Peter accepted that as a reasonable scenario, so he merely said, "Okay," and continued to eat his food quietly. Sirius and James pounced on this chance and immediately started talking about Quidditch, which lasted them until it was time to go to their first class. They waved Peter on, telling him that they would just meet him at History of Magic in a few minutes.

As soon as Peter was out of sight, James rounded on Sirius with a glare and tersely asked, "What the _hell_ was that?"

Sirius pulled back in surprise, then his face became stormy. "What? It may easy for you to lie to your friends, but it's not for me, Prongs," he snapped as he stood from the table.

James sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "C'mon, mate. I don't like it any more than you do, but you know that we can't say much about Ava. Besides, everyone will know about her soon enough. Just keep it together until then," he told Sirius as they headed out of the Great Hall.

Sirius grumbled, "Okay. But you gotta take the lead when we're talking to Wormtail or Moony about this." James nodded, causing Sirius' shoulders and the tight expression on his face to relax a bit.

* * *

Avalynn woke with a start, gasping at a strange pressure she could feel in her chest that had disturbed her sleep. Frowning, she sat up on the couch and rubbed her hand against her sternum, trying to soothe the ache. Looking around McGonagall's quarters, Ava could see that she was still alone. After finding a clock on one of the professor's bookshelves, she sighed at seeing that it was only about nine o'clock and realized that she had about three more hours to herself before she could head to Diagon Alley with her "aunt." The unusual feeling in her chest hadn't relented, so she stood up and stretched. When that did nothing, she tried drinking some water. Frowning in confusion once more, Ava headed to the bathroom. After using the toilet, she looked at herself in the mirror and let out a startled gasp. She most definitely was a teenager again. Her long, dirty blonde hair remained mostly the same, but it had more highlights like it did when she was in high school. Her freckles seemed to be more pronounced on her nose and cheeks as well, reminding her of the time she spent on her school's swim team. She was an inch or two shorter than she was in her twenties, but that was no big deal.

The pressure in Ava's chest pulsed, causing her to rip off her shirt and scrutinize her chest in the mirror. There was nothing marring her skin, and nothing strange underneath as far as she could tell. The feeling didn't make any sense. Pulling her shirt back over her head, Ava headed back out to the living room and was near the entrance to McGonagall's quarters when she realized that the odd sensation she was feeling had alleviated slightly. "That's weird," she said aloud to herself. Testing her body, Ava walked around McGonagall's quarters for a few minutes and realized that the uncomfortable pressure was lighter when she was at the door or the front of the professor's rooms. She shrugged and muttered, "What the hell? Why not?" as she opened the door and stepped out into the corridor. Grateful that the corridor was empty, Ava let out a relieved sigh and took a step towards the left. The wrong feeling in her chest flared, causing Ava to quickly jump back and take a few steps to the right.

"Ooookay," she breathed out slowly. "Guess I need to go this way," she whispered to herself in confusion before heading down the hallway. Avalynn continued to walk through various corridors using the pressure in her chest as a compass, feeling it become lighter and lighter as she was reaching what she hoped to be her destination and answers for what the fuck was happening to her. She couldn't reason with herself that she was merely in a dream any longer. This was just simply too strange and everything felt so real. Ava was startled from her thoughts by a sudden increase in the heaviness behind her ribs, causing her to let out a pained gasp and stop dead in her tracks. She slowly took a couple steps backwards and felt the sensation begin to subside. Looking to each side of the corridor, Ava realized that she was standing in front of a set of wide, wooden double doors.

Taking a deep breath, Avalynn cautiously reached for the handle on the doors and slowly pushed them open. Ava was hoping that she wouldn't run into anyone since she didn't know if she was really allowed to be out and about the castle. She assumed since the corridors were empty, then everyone must be in classes. With a sigh of relief as the doors didn't creak, Ava crept into the large room and immediately had an idea of where she was. There were what looked like hospital cots in rows across the room from her and a clean, sterile smell that assaulted her nostrils as she crossed the threshold of the massive doorframe. There were thin, tall windows that stretched to the high ceiling, allowing for some natural light to brighten up the gray Hospital Wing.

Avalynn's eyes quickly roamed over the room to reassure herself that she was alone. The tight sensation in her chest flared again, seemingly telling her to get a move on. Ava frowned in annoyance at her body as she rubbed her sternum, attempting to ease the slight pain. She decided to quietly step further into the room to see how her body would react. After taking a few rapid strides into the Hospital Wing, the feeling decreased minutely. Ava rolled her eyes and chose to appease her ridiculous body and use it as a compass again. Walking across the open space towards the hospital beds caused the majority of the pressure in her chest to diminish. As she neared a bed with privacy curtains drawn around it, the irritating feeling behind her ribs practically vanished. Ava quickly stopped and peeked through the white sheet, her jaw dropping when she saw the occupant of the bed.

It was none other than Remus Lupin, the recovering werewolf who was supposedly her _soulmate_. Immediately after Ava's realization, the uncomfortable feeling in her chest disappeared and was replaced by a warm sensation. Her eyes darted over his sleeping form, taking in the few, slight bruises on his arms and cheek, causing a little flurry of worry. Ava shook her head and reminded herself that Moony had been playing with the Marauders last night and bruises were nothing serious to fret over. Taking a step closer, she could see the silver strips of old scars that crossed from his temple to chin on the one side of his face that his sandy brown hair wasn't draping over. He appeared to be sleeping soundly and Ava had intended to silently retreat from his bed, allowing him to continue resting, but her body had other ideas. Before she could stop herself, Ava had taken a seat in the chair next to Remus' bed and gently taken one of his hands into hers. A rush of warmth and something that felt like happiness went through her. With wide eyes, Avalynn looked down at their connected hands and whipped her gaze up to his face in a panic. Fortunately, Remus was worn out enough from his transformation that even someone grasping his hand wouldn't rouse him.

_What the fuck, Ava? _she thought loudly. _You can't just grab people, especially when they're sleeping!_ She continued to stare at Remus' face, expecting him to wake up any second. _He doesn't even know who you are!_ With that thought, Ava released Remus' hand as if she had been burned. She was surprisingly sad and crushed at the idea of Remus not knowing who she was. His soulmate. Ava shook her head, trying to dispel those outlandish thoughts from her head. _You don't even know him either, Avalynn. Get it together. McGonagall is going to look over the spell and everything will be fine. I'm sure that Sirius and James would introduce you to Remus anyway. _Ava glanced at Remus face once more and couldn't help but look him over, considering this was the person that "magic" or whatever believed she should be with for life. During her mental turmoil, Ava must've subconsciously reached out for Remus again because his hand was once more in hers and their fingers were interlocked this time. She couldn't stop a groan of frustration from leaving her lips at the sight. _Well this isn't good_, she thought, realizing that there must be more to the spell than just matching someone to their soulmate.

When a throat was cleared, Ava sat ramrod straight in the chair, but didn't relinquish Remus' hand. She slowly turned to the opening in the privacy curtains to see who had stumbled upon the scene and saw an older woman with a very stern expression on her face, with her eyes flicking between Ava and the recovering werewolf. The woman was wearing what appeared to be some sort of hospital uniform and when Ava opened her mouth to explain herself, she cut the young girl off with a terse, "Can I help you?"

Ava had no idea what to say. "I, uh, well—," she sputtered. The woman's eyebrows raised expectantly, so Ava quickly blurted out, "I'm just checking on my friend."

"Oh, really? And just who might you be? I'm Madame Pomfrey and this is _my_ Hospital Wing. I've never treated you before young lady, and as far as I'm aware, Mr. Lupin only allows those rambunctious friends of his to visit him," the woman firmly informed Ava as she took a few steps closer to the bed.

Ava gulped. "I'm, uh, Ava McGonagall. Professor McGonagall's niece. I just arrived here yesterday ma'am," she replied in a respectful tone. She knew that Madame Pomfrey was a good person, but she could be very strict when it came to her patients.

The witch's eyebrows rose again as she said, "Ah, so you must make friends especially fast."

Ava's eyes widened slightly before she nodded firmly, trying to keep up with her own ridiculous lie.

The matron huffed and her posture seemed to relax. "Calm down, dear girl. I can tell that you mean no harm. However, I won't have you disturbing my patients. Off with you," she told Ava with a shooing motion.

Ava quickly looked down at her hand still wrapped up in Remus'. She felt inexplicably miserable at the thought of leaving him. She looked up at the older woman with pleading eyes, "Can I stay a little longer?" Ava could tell by the frown on the Madame Pomfrey's face that she wasn't going to allow Ava to stay, so she added, "I haven't woken him yet, and I don't intend to ma'am. I know that he needs his rest." After that statement, Ava turned her gaze back towards Remus with concern, realizing that she knew nothing about his recovery after the full moon. She whipped her head back to the healer. "How long does he usually take to recover?" she asked.

Startled by the girl's phrasing, Madame Pomfrey lightly replied, "Recover from what? He's merely feeling under the weather."

Ava's eyes narrowed. "Ma'am, I may be new, but I understand exactly what he's dealing with. So I'll ask again, how long does it usually take for him to recover after a transformation?" she asked tersely.

The woman's eyes almost bugged out of her head. "Well, I never," she huffed in annoyance. When Ava's eyes never left hers, she relented. "I suppose you do understand then. He'll be right as rain in just a couple of days. There's no need to get all in a tizzy, especially since his health and injuries are much better than normal."

_She's right_, Ava thought. _I'm getting all worked up for no reason. He's been through numerous full moons and he's been just fine without me_. She frowned at herself. _Of course he doesn't need me here to feel better. Don't be conceited, Ava._ She couldn't really explain why she felt the need to be near Remus right now and make sure that he was healthy and safe. As Ava shifted her body during her internal monologue, the bedsheet revealed Remus' hand in hers, causing Madame Pomfrey's expression to soften.

"Listen, dear. I understand that you may want to be here for your boyfriend while he recovers, but I can't allow you to stay for too long," the healer told Ava.

Now it was time for Ava's eyes to bug out. "I'm _not_ his girlfriend," she rapidly replied. "I'm just, uh, well—" she paused and lowered her voice, "I'm not sure." She turned to Madame Pomfrey with a frown, considering the odd pain in her chest that seemed to be caused by her proximity to Remus. "Do you know anything about soulmates?" she asked hopefully.

The older witch's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. "Goodness gracious, my child. Do you mean?" she trailed off as her eyes darted back and forth between Remus and Ava.

The young girl just looked at the healer with a blank expression, not really wanting to give anything away. Instead, Ava merely asked, "Is there some sort of Healer's Oath or something that you've taken Madame Pomfrey? I'd really not like any personal information about myself revealed to anyone without my permission."

The matron looked taken aback, but nodded. "Yes, there is a patient confidentiality bond between myself and the students and staff that I treat," she explained to Ava. "However, you have never been my patient, Miss McGonagall."

Ava looked down to her hand holding Remus' and took a deep breath. Slowly, she pried her fingers from his, losing the warm, pleasant feeling in her body, and stood from her seat. Ava walked past Madame Pomfrey and back out of the privacy curtain, with the ache in her chest returning. She paused, shook her arms out, gathering her courage, and quickly walked a few steps before falling to the ground in an instant as her feet collided. Ava let out a muffled moan of pain as she rolled over. Looking at her skinned elbows and knees, Ava smiled and looked up at the healer. "Oops, I seem to have tripped and I'm in need of medical attention."

The matron's eyes were comically wide, causing Ava to grin even wider as she stood up and chose the closest bed to sit on. "Well, I never," the healer stated in an exasperated voice. She quickly stepped over to Ava and waved her wand a couple of times, muttering basic healing spells under her breath, making the young girl's scrapes disappear.

"Thank you, Madame Pomfrey," Ava chirped. She couldn't help but rub over the spots on her elbows and knees where her stinging wounds just were. It was insanely cool that magic could heal someone so quickly.

With an eye roll, the matron tutted at Ava. "I understand the need to harm yourself in this instance young lady, but I do not ever want to see you behave that recklessly again." Ava opened her mouth to ask her burning question, but Madame Pomfrey clicked her tongue and quickly interrupted, "Yes, Miss McGonagall, you are considered my patient now, and I am bound by my oath to not reveal any information about your health, magical or otherwise, to anyone else without your consent."

Ava smiled, but then her expression turned serious when she stated, "That includes Remus. He doesn't know anything about me or the uh, connection, that we have."

The matron considered what Ava said for a long moment, then nodded. She stepped back and sighed before she told Ava, "You may stay with Mr. Lupin so long as you are silent and do not disturb his sleep. He will heal faster if he has plenty of rest. I will inform your aunt as to your whereabouts."

Avalynn flashed Madame Pomfrey a genuine smile. "Thank you very much, ma'am," she replied as she stood from the bed and crept back over to the opening in the curtain surrounding Remus. Slowly approaching Remus' bed, Ava considered the strange pressure in her chest once more. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable around Remus, and she realized that it disappeared all together when she made skin on skin contact with him. Just to test her theory, Ava placed a finger softly on Remus' arm. The small touch caused a slightly warm feeling behind her ribs, which increased with each finger that she added to the werewolf's arm. When Ava's entire hand was wrapped around Remus' arm, she grasped his hand with her free one. She sat down with a sigh of happiness that was caused by the touch providing a warm, pleasant sensation to radiate throughout her body. Ava continued to sit by his bedside in silence, contemplating everything that she discovered that morning. She just couldn't fully wrap her head around the idea of being someone's soulmate, let alone to Remus _freakin'_ Lupin. It was insane enough to realize that magic and the Wizarding World were real. Eventually, she leaned forward and rested her head on the edge of Remus' bed while maintaining a hold on the werewolf. Trying to shut down her mind, which was currently in overdrive, Ava closed her eyes and let herself bask in the comforting warmth she felt while touching Remus, knowing that it wouldn't last forever.

Ava's eyes may have been closed, but she wasn't asleep. She had been too afraid that Remus would wake up and freak out, finding some strange girl attached to him. She could hear a hushed conversation outside of the privacy curtain, so she perked up, trying to listen in. After a moment, she realized it was Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall. Ava let out a sigh, assuming that it was time for her to leave and visit Diagon Alley with her new guardian. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the curtain move and turned to see her aunt peering in with a curious look on her face. When the professor's eyes met Ava's, her look became concerned for a brief moment before she motioned for Ava to join her. Once again, Ava slowly peeled her fingers from Remus'. She quietly stood and softly muttered, "See you later, Remus."

Ava glanced at the sleeping werewolf over her shoulder, feeling the unpleasant pressure in her chest already increasing. Stepping through the white curtains, she braced herself for the sensation to intensify. And indeed it did. By the time she reached Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey standing in front of the entrance to the Hospital Wing, Ava had her arms wrapped around herself and was taking shallow, pained breaths. _It wasn't this bad before_, she complained internally. The professor and matron had been quietly watching Avalynn cross the Hospital Wing, their attention grabbed by her irregular breathing.

Professor McGonagall reached out a hand and gently placed it on Ava's shoulder with a slight look of panic in her eyes. "Ava? What's wrong dear?" she asked.

"Are you in pain, Miss McGonagall?" Madame Pomfrey questioned.

Ava nodded frantically. "I have a weird feeling in my chest. It gets worse when I'm away from Remus," she said around gritted teeth, then looked back at the bed surrounded by curtains. "It wasn't this bad when I woke up though."

McGonagall softly pulled Ava aside, took a deep breath and explained, "Ava, I think the feeling you are experiencing might be a side effect of the soulmate spell. I would like to discuss your situation with Madame Pomfrey since I believe that you have a physical aspect to your connection with Remus. Especially after what you've just said," and she paused and frowned slightly. "Do you give me permission to inform Poppy of the spell, and just the spell?" Ava nodded quickly, hoping that the matron may be able to help the incredibly uncomfortable sensation subside.

After being given a quick briefing by McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey turned to Ava and inquired, "How exactly _did_ you find your way here?"

Ava grimaced as she rubbed her sternum in vain. "I just followed the feeling in my chest. It felt better the closer I got to Remus, but I feel best when I'm touching him," she muttered the last part and felt her cheeks redden. The two older witches shared an anxious look. This was only something they had heard and read about, but not dealt with themselves.

Her aunt let out quick breath of air at the expectation of diligent research in her near future and said, "Ava, I cannot be absolutely certain without consulting the Potter's grimoire, but based on your symptoms and cases that myself and Madame Pomfrey have heard about, it seems that your body, and dare I say, magic, are responding to the soulmate connection that you have with Mr. Lupin."

Ava nodded grimly. "I figured as much," she mumbled as she shifted her feet and crossed her arms once more, trying to find a more comfortable position to stand in.

Madame Pomfrey hastened to a cabinet against the wall and pulled out a small, glass vial. As she briskly walked back to Avalynn, she uncorked the bottle, then held it out for the young girl to take. "It's a mild pain potion. It should help keep the feeling you are experiencing to a minimum," she informed Ava.

Reaching out and quickly taking hold of the red potion, Ava muttered a brief, "Thanks," before downing the liquid. It wasn't as nasty as she thought that it could've been, but she could use a glass of water to chase it down. She likened the consistency and flavor to liquid Tylenol mixed with cold medicine. After running her tongue along her teeth to keep the potion from coating her pearly whites, Ava stood up a bit straighter and dropped her arms. She took a few slow deep breaths and flashed the older women a relieved smile. "I already feel better. It doesn't hurt or anything anymore," she told them.

Professor McGonagall let out a bated breath. "Well, thank goodness for that, lass," she said with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry, professor. I didn't mean to worry you," Ava said sheepishly.

The matron gave the couple of women a warm smile, acknowledging the quick bond that the young girl and her aunt seemed to have already formed. "Just come and see me if you feel the need for another pain potion, Miss McGonagall."

"Yes ma'am," Ava politely replied with a nod.

Her aunt gave her a once-over, seeming to double check that the girl was truly healthy and asked, "Are you sure that you're up for going to Diagon Alley, Ava?"

"Yes!" Ava said vehemently with a fierce expression on her face. "I want to get a wand and start learning magic. Please, please, please, can we go? I feel fine," she begged as she jumped up and down in place.

"Quiet down, young lady," Madame Pomfrey admonished, gesturing towards the bed where Remus was residing.

Ava tucked her head into her shoulders and covered her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm just excited," she explained in a whisper.

Her aunt smiled. "Yes, I think that is rather evident, Ava," she said with amusement. "I suppose we had better leave for our errands before you wake up your beau."

Ava made a face. "Don't tease like that Aunt Minerva," she pouted. "He might not want anything to do with me," she said softly, looking down at the floor.

The matron tutted. "I don't want to hear any of that nonsense young lady. You seem perfectly lovely to me, and I just met you." She shooed Ava and Professor McGonagall towards the Floo and added, "Now go about your errands and enjoy the day with your aunt."

The newly acquainted family members smiled at the healer and relented, walking towards the Floo on their own now as Madame Pomfrey headed back to her office. Professor McGonagall stopped in front of the Floo and quietly asked, "Are you aware of how to use the Floo Network?"

Ava nodded and said, "I grab a handful of Floo powder, step in, and throw down the powder as I say the destination, right?"

The older witch's eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise for the umpteenth time. "That is exactly what you'll need to do. You can watch me go first if you'd like." Ava nodded and proceeded to watch her aunt take small handful of a fine, greenish-gray powder that was in a small pot hanging next to the fireplace. The witch then ducked and stepped onto the hearth itself, and tossed down the Floo powder as she firmly spoke, "Diagon Alley." Suddenly, bright green flames erupted and Professor McGonagall had disappeared. Shaking herself into action, Ava scooped up a handful of the powder herself and took a step into the fireplace with a deep breath. She could feel herself break out into a sweat. This was some serious shit. She was about to _Floo travel_ to a main location in the _Wizarding _world. And she was traveling by green _flames_. Ava nodded to herself thinking, _Alright. Floo powder. Nothing to be afraid of. Just some flames that are essentially green light. Not real fire_. _Not. Real. Fire._ Before she lost her nerve, Ava threw down the powder and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" being sure to enunciate every syllable correctly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.
> 
> Author's Note: This chapter is huge! I just couldn't decide where to stop as it grew and grew, but I'm sure you're all okay with that :) Let me know what you think! And yes, I did play around with some of the characters' ages, but that will make this more fun.
> 
> Also, thank you to those of you leaving kudos and reviews!

Chapter 7

The sensation of traveling by the Floo network was not something that Avalynn was likely to forget any time soon. As soon as she had finished exclaiming "Diagon Alley!", her vision was blinded by a bright green light. Instantaneously, Ava could feel every nerve in her body come alive and tingle. For the brief second that it took for her to travel from Hogwarts to Diagon Alley, it felt as though her entire body had fallen asleep and she was trying to move, causing a pins and needles sensation to erupt throughout her torso and limbs. Just as quick as the feeling had come, it had gone, leaving Ava standing in a different fireplace with wide eyes as Professor McGonagall looked on in amusement.

"Ready to go purchase your wand?" the older witch asked.

Ava's expression immediately changed from utter bewilderment to happiness and she cautiously stepped out from the hearth to see that they were in a small room that housed four fireplaces that seemed to be for public access to Diagon Alley. Following her aunt out onto the street, Ava steeled her nerves, anticipating being overwhelmed by the sight of various wizarding establishments coming to life. She also quickly realized that this would be her first time in a crowd of people since she arrived in the Shrieking Shack. She took a couple deep breaths and raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Stepping out onto a cobblestone street and blinking rapidly, Ava could slowly discern that they were across from Madame Malkin's and next to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Professor McGonagall couldn't help the smile that formed once she took in Ava's look of wonderment as the young girl gazed around the street.

"There it is!" Ava shouted in excitement with a finger pointing at Ollivander's wand shop. She quickly turned around to McGonagall standing next to her and breathlessly asked, "Can we go?"

The professor let out a chuckle and nodded. The street wasn't as crowded as Ava had been anticipating. Nevertheless, she stayed as close to McGonagall as possible. She felt very vulnerable knowing that any person around her could use magic against her at any second and there would be nothing that she could do to stop it. Ava shook her head, _You're just being paranoid_. Approaching the storefront, Ava looked up at the sign above the door with wide eyes. She couldn't believe that she was about to get a wand. An _actual_ wand. One that could do _magic_. She bit her lip and let out a little squeal of enthusiasm as she followed her aunt into the store.

The front room of the wand shop was occupied by a wooden countertop with an old-fashioned looking register, and the rest of the space was used for storing what seemed like thousands of wands. Thin boxes were precariously stacked upon one another, most of the columns reaching the twelve-foot ceiling, and Ava could see more wands piled together behind the counter, reaching up to built-in cubby shelves. Hearing a throat clear, Avalynn shook her head and refocused on her Aunt Minerva, who was standing at the counter across from an older man with shoulder-length, wavy, gray hair, who was giving Ava an inquisitive stare. She mustered up her courage and approached the wandmaker and her guardian.

"Your aunt mentioned that you are purchasing your very first wand today, Miss McGonagall?" Ollivander clarified in a voice gruffer than Ava was expecting.

Ava merely nodded, simultaneously too excited and frightened to speak. This conversation made her whole situation seem more real than anything, and she felt like Ollivander was looking straight into her soul with his piercing green eyes. After what felt like an eternity, the wandmaker tilted his head and muttered something unintelligible before walking out from behind the counter and selecting several boxes. He placed the boxes holding wands down on the counter in front of Ava and said, "I'd like you to slowly hold your hand over each box. Hopefully, one will call to you."

Ava glanced at Professor McGonagall, receiving a kind smile in return, and then proceeded to follow Ollivander's instructions. She felt quite silly when absolutely nothing happened at first, but once her hand hovered over the fourth box, she could feel her hand become cold, nearly burning from the icy sensation. Just a second later, the box shot out from underneath her hand and flew across the room. Ava whipped her eyes up to Ollivander's, looking for an explanation of what had just happened.

With slightly wide eyes, he merely informed her, "Well, it's not _that_ one." His hand made a motion for her to continue, so Ava shakily raised her hand and resumed her attempt at locating a matching wand. Two boxes further down the line, Ava's hand began to feel slightly warm and then a gentle caress of air swept against the underside of her hand. Startled, she quickly retracted her hand. Ollivander asked the young girl to describe the feeling and a look of understanding came over his face at Ava's explanation.

"One moment, please," he said, then once more walked around the room, collecting a handful of different wands, indicating that the last wand didn't have enough of a reaction to be "the one."

"Trust Mr. Ollivander, Ava. He'll help you find the perfect wand," McGonagall assured Avalynn while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ava gave her a small smile and returned her attention to the wandmaker when he set down a few boxes on the counter. He instructed her to actually hold each wand this time, which put Ava on edge. _Hopefully none of these have a strong aversion to me_, she hoped as she picked up the first wand. Immediately, a stack of boxes across the room toppled over. She sheepishly returned the wand to its box and cautiously grasped the second. At first, there didn't seem to be any reaction from the wand, but suddenly Ava's hand was burning as if she had placed it on a scalding stovetop. With a yelp of pain, she released the wand and cradled her injured hand to her chest, biting her lip to keep from cursing profusely.

Ollivander frowned, then chose a specific wand from the line-up and placed it in front of Ava.

McGonagall tutted and quickly grasped Ava's burned hand in her own and murmured a healing spell, causing the small burn to disappear. "There you go, lass," she told her niece as she gestured to the wand on the counter.

Ava let out a frustrated sigh, but reached for the wand, nonetheless. As her hand closed the distance towards the magical stick, Ava felt a light, warm breeze blow past her face. With a rush of excitement, she quickly grasped the wand and a wave of magic rushed throughout her body. The feeling emanated from her right hand, which was holding the wand, and it was nearly like static electricity, making the hair on her arms stand up on end. With her blue eyes as wide as saucers, Avalynn's gaze flickered back and forth rapidly between Ollivander and McGonagall, looking for reassurance that this was a normal reaction when finding a wand.

Both of the adults had wide smiles on their faces and Ollivander nodded and informed Ava, "That's the one, my dear. It's a very interesting wand, rare wood. I don't have many blackthorn wands anymore. Nine inches, with a phoenix feather core."

Ava frowned in confusion and asked, "Blackthorn?"

The wandmaker nodded as he packaged up the box for the wand and replied, "Yes, it's an unusual wood, but very faithful." He pointed at the wand and then her with raised eyebrows and added, "Once you've had some…worldly experience, you'll have a strong bond with that one, indeed."

Ava wasn't sure what to say, so she just muttered "Thanks" before looking down at her wand. The color was a dark brown, and for the first time, she noticed that there were small points coming off of the stick. Ava held the wand closer to her face to inspect it when Ollivander piped up, "Oh, yes. It does have several small thorns. However, you'll notice that your hand fits perfectly around those thorns, does it not?" She went back to holding her wand properly and saw that the old wizard was right. The thorns were placed just so around the base of her wand that they wouldn't poke her palm or fingers. Ava looked up at McGonagall who appeared just as fascinated as herself, and Ollivander was grinning with his eyes trained on the magical stick.

"That is just further proof that this wand was made for you, Miss McGonagall," he explained.

"It's incredible," Ava softly returned as she continued to look over her first magical possession.

Professor McGonagall purchased the wand and bid the wandmaker a good day. On the way out the door, Ava stopped and turned to Ollivander. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ollivander!" she shouted back to him.

The old wizard waved her off as she continued out of the shop. "I have a feeling that you're going to be needing it, my dear," he grumbled to himself as he restocked the discarded wands.

Back out in Diagon Alley, Ava gleefully bounced on her feet, following her aunt to their next stop. The older witch took a look at her and laughed. Slowing down to walk beside Ava, she leaned over and quietly said, "I know you are extremely pleased with your wand, lass, but it would probably be best for you to put it away for now."

Ava ceased walking with confusion and disappointment written all over her face, causing another laugh to erupt from her aunt. "Dear girl, there's no need to walk around with your wand in your hand, ready to cast at any moment. If you truly cannot stand to part with it yet, you could continue to hold your wand in your robe pocket."

A blush crept onto Ava's cheeks at the obviousness of that solution and the fact that she was already intensely attached to essentially just a thin piece of wood. _It's not just wood. It's your _wand_, Avalynn_, she mentally reprimanded herself. It was clear to Ava that she was still struggling coming to terms with her new reality and accepting the fact that she just might actually be a witch.

"Now, would you like to look for a familiar to bring back to Hogwarts?" McGonagall asked.

Ava pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "No, I don't think that's a good idea right now."

Her aunt raised an eyebrow expectantly, so Ava continued, "I just think that it's an extra responsibility that I don't even have the brain power for right now. There's a lot going on since this is all new to me." She gestured up and down the street with one hand as she spoke. "Besides, can't I just use the school owls if I need to send a letter or something?"

With a confirmation from the professor, Ava officially decided to hold off on having a familiar and the two ladies stopped for lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. Even though it was a weekday, the pub was fairly busy, so Ava spent most of the meal people watching. So far, she realized that just about everyone was wearing wizard's or witch's robes and only a couple people had been sporting jeans. Mentally rolling her eyes, Ava hoped that the fashion of the time wasn't as awful as it looked in movies. With that thought, she perked up and leaned closer to McGonagall, quietly asking, "What year is it?"

The professor looked at her with wide eyes before answering. "1977. And I apologize for not informing you sooner."

Ava waved her off. "It's not a big deal. I figured it was around then, but it wasn't at the forefront of my mind." She let out a brief laugh. "I was a bit more preoccupied with realizing I wasn't dreaming and discovering magic to be real." She continued to eat her fish and chips as McGonagall outlined the rest of their errands. Ava would need a full, new wardrobe, so they would stop by Madame Malkin's after lunch to have her fitted for robes. Apparently, there was another clothing store where they could find undergarments and nice blouses, skirts, and pants, which Ava could wear on the weekends. Although, McGonagall recommended just ordering jeans through the owl post once they had Ava's measurements from Madame Malkin's since they would probably not have enough time to run out into Muggle London. The older witch then mentioned buying school supplies and books, causing Ava to pipe up and ask, "Does Hogwarts have any books on soulmates? Or alternate realities?"

The professor's brows furrowed as she replied, "I'm not entirely sure. Those aren't exactly topics that I've had to research before. However, once we find time to, I can escort you to the Restricted Section and we will see what we can find." After a short pause, she continued, "Although, while we're here, we might as well look to see if any of the shops here have books that could be useful." Ava nodded and continued chewing her bite, trying to hide how desperately she wanted to know more about how she arrived in this world and what the hell was going on with her body around Remus.

After finishing lunch, the ladies left for Madame Malkin's and continue about their errands for a couple more hours. Avalynn was getting tired of walking in and out of the bustling stores when they finally found a couple books that Professor McGonagall insisted she buy for Ava. One was titled _Soulmates and Other Magical Bonds_ and the second book was simply titled _Other Worlds_. After a quick glance at the table of contents, it was apparent that the text covered other dimensions and alternate realities and how they are all connected. Ava practically dragged her feet back to the public Floo fireplaces even though her aunt had shrunk down their packages, so she hadn't been carrying anything. She was physically tired, but mentally and emotionally drained from the day's activities and was looking forward to just laying down on the couch for a while.

One tingly ride through the Floo and a brisk walk uphill through the castle gates later, Ava and Professor McGonagall found themselves outside of their quarters, about to enter when both of their names were shouted down the corridor. Turning to see who was attempting to catch their attention, the witches saw James Potter and Sirius Black hurrying towards them.

"Professor! Ava!" James shouted. Sirius arrived at their door first, out of breath, and explained that they had been looking for the two women since lunch. Professor McGonagall ushered the three teenagers inside her quarters and lit the fireplace, then unshrunk the packages and set them on the small, round dining table behind the sofa. Ava bolted for the couch and flopped down, extending herself the entire length. James and the professor had taken their seats in the only other available spots, two comfy armchairs, so Sirius approached the sofa and cleared his throat. Avalynn rolled her eyes as the Black heir gestured for her to move, but relented and bent her legs at the knees to provide room for Sirius to sit down beside her. However, once Sirius was seated, she stretched her legs back out, resting her socked feet on Sirius' lap. He glanced at her questioningly with a raised eyebrow, to which Ava merely shrugged. The Animagus mirrored her gesture and let his arms drape over Ava's shins.

The other occupants of the room, James and Professor McGonagall, had watched this exchange with interest. Sirius was usually physically affectionate with his close friends, but he didn't really know Ava, and no one really knew Avalynn well enough to make conjecture about her behavior. After another beat of silence, the older witch spoke up and asked, "What was it that you boys wanted to speak to myself or Ava about?"

James sat forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees and replied, "Well, we, uh, told Peter that Ava was your niece. And we added that she was trying to get to the castle, but ended up in the Shack somehow." He paused and looked back and forth between the professor and Ava. "I hope that's okay." Both of the witches nodded along in agreement to this course of action, thinking it was the most logical explanation anyhow.

Sirius scoffed and grumbled, "It had better be okay. That's what we came up with on the fly because we had to _lie_. To our _friend_."

Frowning, Ava told him, "Honestly, Sirius, and James, I'm sorry about you having to lie, but it's really for the best right now." James nodded, even though he looked doubtful, but Sirius was glaring a hole into the carpet. Avalynn used her foot to poke Sirius in the stomach to gain his attention, which she nearly regretted once those stormy gray eyes were penetrating hers, but she pushed aside her nervousness and firmly stated, "It _is_ for the best. Think about it this way, yes, I'm trying to protect myself, but I'm also trying to protect you." She gestured to James and continued, "This kid too. But the oath is also a safeguard for everyone else that I come into contact with. People can't know the truth about me because it's dangerous."

The expression on Sirius' face softened and he mumbled, "I guess."

Ava sighed. "Fine. Bottom line, would you want Voldemort to get his hands on me and my memories of what is going to happen?" Sirius' eyes widened slightly. "Because I do know a lot of events and things that are going to happen, and I know how to defeat him. For good."

Sirius gulped and then nodded, saying "Alright, alright." He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand as he sheepishly stated, "I get it. Obviously, we'll keep in line with the oath, but I can see what you mean."

James piped up with, "Yeah, it's not like we _want_ you or anyone else to get hurt, Ava."

"I know, James," Ava replied. "Anyway, some more people might need to know at some point in the future, and I'll give you permission then. But only then, just not yet."

Sirius gave her legs a gentle squeeze to gain Ava's attention, then waggled his eyebrows. "Oh yeah, like Remus?"

"Pfft. Yeah, right," she muttered in return. Everyone in the room was aware of Ava's doubts about the spell and the way that events were going to play out with her supposed soulmate, but they had no real information to assuage her worries yet.

Professor McGonagall used this moment to speak up. "Mr. Potter, have you owled your parents about the grimoire?"

James nodded. "Yes, professor. They'll be bringing the book tomorrow, but they would, um," and he glanced at Ava before continuing, "They'd like to meet with Ava, and you, to go over the spell."

McGonagall looked to Ava for her thoughts and the young girl nodded. "Very well then, Mr. Potter, please owl your parents tonight and let them know to meet us tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. They will have access to the Floo here, in my quarters, as the Headmaster is not aware of the spell that brought Ava to our world." Sirius and Ava both let out a groan at the mention of the meeting taking place at 10 a.m., causing them to crack a smile at each other. James smiled as well while the older witch just shook her head at the typical teenage behavior.

"So, where were you earlier?" James asked curiously.

Ava let out a loud gasp and stood from the couch as fast as lightning. She frantically dug through her robes and finally clasped her hand around her wand. Once the boys realized that Ava was brandishing her wand to show it off, they chuckled and shook their heads. Still laughing, Sirius said, "You looked like a little firstie. All proud and excited."

Ava huffed and stomped her foot in annoyance. "Well, duh, Sirius. I _am_ a firstie," she said with some pride leaking through her voice. Ava's eyes were roaming over her wand in awe while the three experienced magic practitioners watched her actions with amusement.

Taking a closer look at her wand, Sirius asked, "What kind of wood is that made from?"

"Oh, Mr. Ollivander said it's Blackthorn," she informed him. Ava then held it out, showing the boys how there were small thorns on the handle of her wand. "There's even some thorns too, but my hand fits perfectly around them." She frowned slightly. "Well, I haven't been poked. Yet."

Professor McGonagall tutted. "I highly doubt that you will be Ava. That wand _chose_ you." She stood from her chair and teasingly added, "Surely you know that the wand _chooses_ the wizard." Ava just rolled her eyes in response and tucked her wand away, but left her hand and fingers coiled around it in her pocket.

"It's nearly time for dinner, so I'm going to head down to the Great Hall," the professor told the room. She turned to Ava and asked, "Would you like to eat with everyone else tonight, Ava, or stay here?"

Her niece pulled her hand out of her pocket and began to nervously wring her hands. "Well, I, um, I'm not sure—" she began, but she was cut off by both James and Sirius giving her words of encouragement.

"C'mon, Ava. You'll get to meet everyone," James told her.

"Everyone, but Moony," Sirius confirmed.

Ava sighed. "I guess I should just get it over with. And it'll be better to know everyone else once Remus gets out of the Hospital Wing." A look of understanding came over McGonagall's face, but the boys were confused. Ava shifted on her feet and added, "I'm nervous to meet him, guys. Like, super nervous." She nodded firmly to herself. "Yeah, it'll be much better if I'm already comfortable and relaxed with everything else when I meet Remus." Sirius smirked, but Ava anticipated what he was going to say, so she cut him off by holding her hand up and adding, "Yes, yes. I've technically already met him, but that was just Moony, Sirius. And Remus doesn't remember that." Sirius pouted at his joke being ruined, causing James and Ava to exchange a smile. Her smile dropped as she asked her aunt, "Do I need to change into my school uniform?"

The older witch shook her head. "Friday evenings are considered part of the weekend, so your current attire is just fine, lass." Ava looked down at her new, black and garnet colored witches' robes that she wore out of the shop earlier and nodded.

"It's settled then. Let's all go down for dinner," Professor McGonagall announced as she walked towards the door. The teenagers all followed her, with Ava still revealing her anxiety through her body language. Once the boys noticed, they stepped up to either side of Ava gave her their best reassurances that everything would be fine.

"It'll only be weird for the first few minutes and then everyone will move onto the next interesting thing, Ava. You'll be just fine," James informed her.

"Yeah," Sirius chimed in. "You just gotta stop being so fidgety. Especially in front of the Slytherins."

Realizing that she hadn't told the boys which house she was sorted into, Ava decided to tease them a bit. With a grin, she wrapped her arm around Sirius' shoulder and lightly asked, "And how do you know I wasn't placed in the house of snakes, Sirius Black?"

Both Sirius and James pulled a face as if they had tasted something sour, and James pleadingly replied, "Please tell me you're joking, Ava."

Sirius pulled away from Ava slightly with narrowed eyes. "You don't really seem like the slimy, conniving type, Ava."

Professor McGonagall tutted and opened her mouth to admonish Sirius for his prejudiced comment, but Ava beat her to it. "Oh, really? Is that how you'd describe Merlin, Sirius? Slimy and conniving?" she asked nonchalantly. The boys' mouths were gaping open, so Ava added, "Or what about your cousin Andromeda? She does seem quite _horrible_ for marrying a Muggleborn Hufflepuff now that I think about it." McGonagall couldn't help but chuckle at Ava's revelation and the impact it seemed to have on Sirius. He had completely stopped walking in the middle of the corridor and his mouth was opening and closing with no sound coming out.

With a look of confusion on his face, James said, "Well, I suppose those two are alright, but that doesn't mean the rest of the snakes are."

That comment spurred Sirius back into action and he jogged to catch up to the group, adding, "Prongs is right, Ava. I know you think that you know some stuff, but you can't trust a single one of them."

The professor rolled her eyes, but stayed out of the conversation, knowing how stubborn the boys could be. However, Ava wasn't going to relent. She stepped a little closer to the canine Animagus and stage whispered, "But I _do_ know some stuff, Sirius. That kinda the point."

Before he could retort, the corridor opened out into a large room with several stone staircases, causing an awed, "Wow," to escape from Ava's lips. The room was several stories high with portraits of various sizes dotting along the walls, but the most impressive features were the staircases. Ava knew that some of them were able to move, but they were massive and heavy looking. The others were more preoccupied with thoughts of food because she barely had enough time to take it all in before she was being prodded down a set of stairs, towards the Great Hall. As they descended the stairs, Ava could see a ginormous set of wooden doors that were propped open and she caught a glimpse of students sitting at tables before they turned a corner. Blood pumping with adrenaline and anticipation, Ava continued down the stairs at a faster pace, pushing slightly past James and Sirius, and then jumped the last step to the floor. She quickly dodged the several students that were heading into the Great Hall to move to the front and stood like a statue as she took it all in.

It had to be the largest room that Ava had ever seen in her entire life seeing that there were hundreds of students piled around picnic style wooden tables and benches. Her eyes slowly trailed up as she located the house banners above the four long sets of tables, and she couldn't help the soft gasp when she noticed the charmed ceiling. Currently, it was displaying a clear night sky, with numerous stars and celestial bodies, and of course, dozens upon dozens of floating candles. Completely engrossed in the Great Hall, Ava hadn't considered the fact that she was now blocking a portion of the entrance until she was jostled and nearly lost her footing. She grumbled at the interruption and turned to snap at the person disrupting her moment, but smiled slightly when she realized who the gray eyes and aristocratically arched black eyebrow belonged to.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss McGonagall," Regulus Black said politely as he reached out for her hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it.

Ava could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she laughed lightly and replied, "Yes, it seems we have a habit of bumping into each other."

His eyes flickered over her shoulder and he seemed to deflate a bit as he quietly told her, "I see that you already have company, so I will bid you a good evening," before he quickly strode towards the tables marked by the Slytherin crest. Turning around, Ava could clearly see the reason that Regulus left her side. James and Sirius were standing several feet behind her with their arms crossed and scowls formed on their faces.

Sirius practically stomped over to her and hissed, "How do you know my brother?"

The young girl rolled her eyes and explained, "I bumped into him earlier today. Calm down, it's not that big of a deal."

The Black heir huffed then grabbed Ava's arm and steered her towards the Gryffindor table with James trailing quietly behind them. He knew that Regulus was a sore spot for Padfoot, so he daren't say anything, and he knew that Sirius would calm down on his own in just a few minutes. The three teenagers stopped walking about halfway down the table, causing Ava to tumble a little, not expecting the abrupt stop. Looking at the students Sirius and James had paused in front of, it made sense though. She could clearly tell who Lily Evans was based on her long, fiery red hair and she recognized Peter from the Shrieking Shack, so she assumed the others were friends of the Marauders as well.

"Everyone, may I present to you, Ava McGonagall," Sirius announced dramatically with a flourish of his arms.

The aforementioned girl shook her head at his antics and stepped closer to the table and quietly stated, "That's me. Hi," with a little wave. The teens sitting down just looked at her with curious faces, but no one spoke up for a few seconds.

James took pity on Ava and wrapped his arm around her and added, "Yes, she's McGonagall's niece. Yes, she's new to Hogwarts and magic in general. And yes, she's a Gryffindor. So, let's be nice and welcome her, eh?"

Immediately, Lily stood up and reached out her hand for Ava to shake. "I'm Lily Evans, it's nice to meet you."

"Thanks," Ava muttered with a small smile. She released Lily's hand and moved to sit down in between Sirius and James, who hadn't left any room for her. Ava poked their shoulders and gently nudged them apart, indicating what she wanted. The boys hesitated, but nodded at each other and separated, giving Avalynn room to sit on the bench with the Marauders on either side of her. The other occupants of the table gave each other questioning looks. James and Sirius were practically joined at the hip and generally didn't do the bidding of others. Ava didn't notice any of the looks shared between the members of the table because she was too busy letting her eyes rove over the dinner options in front of her. There were multiple large bowls and platters full of different kinds of food, like roast beef, chicken, mashed potatoes, cubed sweet potatoes, green beans, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, and what appeared to be "pigs in a blanket." Ava was thinking about how she'd prefer to have something to drink first and her glass automatically filled up with water. She stared at it with wide eyes before taking a few sips.

A girl with shoulder length brown hair laughed lightly and said, "You'll get used to it." Once she had Ava's attention, she added, "I'm Alice Brown." She then gestured around the table and pointed out Marlene McKinnon, Mary McDonald, Peter, who Ava gave a nod to, and lastly, Frank Longbottom.

Ava tried to give them each a friendly smile that probably gave away her nerves because after the brief introductions, Lily added, "I'm Head Girl and you can come see me if you need anything."

Avalynn breathed out a "Thanks," and began to put some food on her plate since everyone else was already digging in.

After a few moments of silence, Frank cautiously asked, "So, what did James mean when he said that you're 'new to magic'?"

Sirius and James looked at Ava for her response as she finished her bite. "Um, well, I, uh, didn't exactly know that I was a witch until a few days ago," she explained quietly. The others just looked at her with wide eyes and James bumped her shoulder lightly in silent support.

"Wh-What? _How_?" Lily sputtered with her cheeks reddening. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

Ava took a deep breath. She needed to get her story straight the first time so that there were no inconsistencies with her background as word spread around the school. "It's alright. Everyone's going to ask anyway. My dad was Aunt Minerva's brother, but he married an American Muggle, so that's where we lived. My dad passed away when I was young, so when my wizarding school letter came, I had no idea that I could have magical blood. I think that my mother was too frightened to send me off to school or something, so she never told me." She paused to let that sink in then continued, "My mother passed away last week and Aunt Minerva is my next of kin, so she's my guardian now. I had no idea about the Wizarding world until she spoke to me about being a witch."

Slowly looking around the table, Ava could see that her story had quite the impact on the other teenagers. Frank, Peter, and Marlene gave her looks of pity, Mary's face had paled and Lily looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Trying to brush off the seriousness of her made-up (and real) situation, Ava shrugged and firmly stated, "I'm here now, and with Aunt Minerva, everything will be fine."

Sirius piped up with, "Absolutely. No worries, Ava." He then pointed his fork at her and added, "And you've got me and Prongs too."

"And me," Lily proclaimed with a stern look on her face with teary eyes. She reached across the table to give Ava's hand a squeeze as she told her, "I can't imagine my life without magic and not knowing that I'm a witch. I know what it's like adjusting to this world, so please, let me know if you need _anything_."

Ava's heart warmed at Lily's resolute friendliness. "Thank you very much, Lily. I will probably take you up on that offer," she said while giving the red-haired girl's hand a gentle squeeze in return. The group continued their meal in solemn silence for a minute or so before James muttered something about Quidditch, causing Ava and Lily to both roll their eyes, but it broke the awkward, serious quiet and allowed for normal conversation to resume. Avalynn ate her dinner quietly, jumping into the conversation every now and then when a question was directed at her, but it's not like she could add very much when asked "What's your favorite Quidditch team?" or "What's your favorite subject?" Even though Lily moved to reprimand Alice for asking the latter, Ava perked up and said, "Well, I don't have a favorite, but I think that Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts will be fun." This caused the conversation to turn to academics, earning simultaneous groans from James, Sirius, and Peter. Frank smiled and told Ava that she would definitely like Defense because she'll get to actually cast spells and practice magic.

With a frown, Lily asked Ava, "Do you know what classes you'll be taking? If you haven't done magic ever before, then there's no way you could be in seventh year classes with us." Her eyes widened quickly and she apologized, "I didn't mean—"

Ava laughed and waved her off. "I get it. I'm going to do some diagnostic magic with Aunt Minerva this weekend and she'll place me in classes based on that. So, I'm assuming I'll start out in first or second year. Probably first," she grumbled, thinking of the jokes that would probably follow her around since she'd be a sixteen-year-old with a bunch of eleven and twelve-year-old kids. She shrugged and continued, "Well, she said that she'd move me up in classes as my skills progress, so we'll see."

Lily merely accepted Ava's explanation with a nod and went back to talking with Alice and Marlene about some beauty spells they had read about in _Witch's Weekly_. Avalynn had been too anxious when she first sat down and began speaking to the Marauders' friends, but now that they seemed to accept her made-up background story, she relaxed. Her eyes began to wander around the Great Hall, taking in the Head Table and the giant thirty to forty-foot window behind it. She made eye contact with Professor McGonagall and flashed her a small smile, earning one in return. Her gaze perused the rest of the humungous room, noting the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin tables. Curious, Ava inspected the older students to see if she'd recognize anyone from the movies or books. Not seeing anyone in particular at the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw table, Ava swept her eyes over the students with silver and green ties and paused when she recognized Regulus. Looking at the students sitting around him, she could make out another boy with shoulder-length black hair. His wasn't tied back like Regulus' and it was more straight, and she could just barely see his facial features from her spot at the Gryffindor table. Her eyebrows raised as she realized that she was probably looking at Severus Snape. The teen in question turned to the student sitting on the other side of him, who Ava recognized immediately. Lucius Malfoy was the only person who would have that long, incredibly light blonde hair.

The seriousness of the situation hit Ava like a truck. She had gotten too wrapped up in buying her wand and feeling like a giddy child on Christmas today, and she forgot that if that part of magic is real, then so are Death Eaters and Voldemort. Her eyes flickered back over to Regulus and she let out a startled gasp. He was looking directly at her with one brow raised and a smirk. Feeling her cheeks blush, Ava averted her gaze back down to her plate. She refused to look around the room again and essentially had a staring contest with her dinner for the rest of the meal. As students began to filter out of the Great Hall, Ava peeked up at the Head Table and made eye contact with her new guardian. Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows expectantly, seeming to ask if Ava was ready to leave, so she nodded. The older witch then stood, so Ava did as well.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"I'm heading back to our quarters with Aunt Minerva," she informed the group.

The others nodded in acknowledgement, but Sirius frowned and asked, "You aren't staying in Gryffindor Tower?"

Ava's face adopted a frown as well. "I don't know actually. We haven't talked about it." She shrugged. "I'll see you tomorrow, maybe?" she asked the group, but then gave James and Sirius a pointed look, trying to telepathically remind them of the meeting tomorrow with the Potters and the grimoire. Receiving nods and goodbyes, Ava turned and headed towards the entrance of the Great Hall, seeing that her aunt was already waiting for her. They left the giant room, ascended the same staircase they had used earlier, and turned down the corridor housing the professors' quarters.

"How was your dinner?" Professor McGonagall asked Ava, hoping that the other students hadn't given her a hard time.

"It was good," she replied with a shrug. "I met Lily, Alice, Mary, Marlene, and Frank. Lily seems really nice at least. I told them why I was here now and how I haven't practiced magic before."

McGonagall let out a breath. "And how did that go?" she questioned.

"Uh, okay, I guess? I mean, they believed me, but the looks on their faces weren't that great," Ava told her aunt. "I don't like pity," she pouted.

The older witch tutted. "Ava, you must understand that your story will cause most witches or wizards to feel badly for you. Growing up around magic is what they all know, even the Muggleborns have more experience with magic than you do."

Ava nodded in response. "Yeah, that's true. Whatever," she said flippantly.

Their conversation had lasted until they stepped into the professor's quarters, and Ava immediately set out to organize all of the items they had purchased in Diagon Alley earlier in the day. She couldn't help but feel full of happiness and excitement while getting her school supplies and books all in order. She decided to arrange them by year because her aunt decided to go ahead and buy her the books that every year needed, reasoning that she could donate them to a future student if Ava turned out to not need them. However, she tried to impress upon Ava that she should read over the books. Being a lover of books and reading, she didn't have any problem with this. After straightening out her closet and wardrobe, Ava got ready for bed and laid out on the sofa with the textbook that first years used for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor McGonagall joined her shortly, sitting down in an armchair in front of the fireplace with her own book.

A little while later, Ava remembered her sleeping situation and pulled the professor from her book with a question. "Will I be staying here with you once I start classes?"

The older witch didn't hesitate before asking, "What would you like to do, Ava?"

She thought for a few moments and timidly suggested, "Could I stay with you until I'm more comfortable here? Then I can move up to Gryffindor Tower when I'm ready?"

McGonagall smiled and nodded. "Of course, dear. That's perfectly alright with me." Since both witches had paused in their reading, she decided to let Ava know that after the meeting with the Potters the next day, they would have lunch and then begin her diagnostic testing to discern her abilities and which classes would best suit her. When McGonagall mentioned tutors, Ava immediately suggested Sirius and James, causing her aunt to chuckle. "Maybe in a while, but it would be more useful to have a student help you who is currently working on the same skill set. Besides, Mr. Potter and Mr. Black have their N.E.W.T.S. to worry about this year." Ava pouted and opened her mouth to protest, but the professor cut her off by raising her hand. "I will consider your newfound friends as tutors once you begin to improve your skills up to their level, Ava."

"Thank you. That's all I'm asking," Ava breathed out gratefully. "For now," she added with a grin. Her aunt merely shook her head with the corners of her mouth twitching and resumed her reading. Ava continued to think about her magical education and was trying to plan out who she could ask for help in different subject areas, which led her to think about how she made best friends with the two lovely women she had left back in her world. She had been struggling with math in high school, and decided to ask one of the smarter, nicer girls for some help. Eventually, they became great friends and met their third partner in crime during college. Since then, they did just about everything together, but they grew apart somewhat when it came time for graduating and finding jobs. Ava sighed, missing her close friends. _You'll make new friends, Ava_, she reminded herself firmly. That thought caused her to bolt upright on the couch and blurt out, "I'm only learning all of this until we can figure out a way for me to leave, right?! To go home?" With her eyes wide in panic, Ava realized that she kept forgetting about returning home. Even though it was a slim possibility, she needed to remember where she came from first and foremost and not give up hope quite yet. They hadn't even gotten started on trying to figure out if traveling back to her world was feasible.

Sighing, McGonagall closed her book and rested it on the arm of her chair. "I truly do not know, my dear girl. We'll need to do more research to see what information we can find. You have those books we bought today, we'll be meeting with the Potters tomorrow, and there's still the Restricted Section. I need to get a good look at the spell that Mr. Potter and Mr. Black cast before I can give you any sort of concrete information."

The displaced girl nodded in understanding, but then felt guilty at the reminder of why she was supposedly in this world in the first place. Seeing a change overcome her niece's face, McGonagall softly asked, "What is it, Ava?"

She let out a shaky breath before quietly explaining, "I kinda forgot that I'm here because I'm supposed to be Remus' soulmate." She grimaced and wiped her hands down her face. "What kind of soulmate am I? I'm more concerned about returning home and getting away from him when I should be more focused on figuring out what's going on between us."

McGonagall sighed and stood up from her seat, walking over to the couch and shooing off Ava's legs so she could sit beside her niece. The teenage witch sat up and crossed her legs, allowing the professor to sit a little closer and rest her hand reassuringly on Ava's knee. "Child, you need to be easier on yourself. You are in a completely unprecedented situation here. You are allowed to be a little selfish considering what you are going through. Besides, knowing Mr. Lupin as I do, and perhaps as you do as well, I know for a fact that he would not begrudge you for thinking of yourself in this scenario."

Trying to be more logical and compartmentalize her thoughts and emotions, Ava nodded slowly. "That's true, I suppose." The professor patted her knee a couple of times, then rose, returning to her armchair. _Okay, priorities_, Ava thought._ First: Figure out spell that those stupid boys cast. Second: Figure out soulmate stuff and possibly talk to Remus. Third: Since spell will be figured out, maybe that will help find a way home. If not, then figuring out a way home is third. Fourth: Learn magic and prepare to help the Order._ Ava nodded resolutely to herself. She just needed to keep her priorities straight and she'd be alright. Taking several slow, deep, calming breaths, Ava considered her order of priorities and what she would be able to accomplish right now, sitting on the couch. Coming to the conclusion that she currently couldn't do anything about the soulmate spell, she set aside the Defense textbook and grabbed the book titled _Other Worlds_. Opening the hardcovered book with a slight creak, she shook her head, trying to dispel all other thoughts from her head so she could focus on the ideas of alternate realities for the time being.

As Avalynn gained a more in-depth understanding of alternate realities and dimensions, she absentmindedly began to rub at her sternum. It wasn't until she slammed the book closed in frustration at the umpteenth mention by the author that all of the information in the text was conjecture and theoretical that she realized the uncomfortable pressure in her chest was returning. She brushed it off and rolled her eyes in annoyance. _Can't anything be normal right now?_ She complained internally. As she began to reopen the book, the sensation in her chest spiked, causing a pained gasp to escape from her lips.

Professor McGonagall immediately stood and held out her wand as she approached Ava on the sofa. "What's wrong, lass?" she asked worriedly, frowning in concern.

"It's the same feeling as before," Ava grunted out. "But it's worse again," she added as the pressure increased. She was taking shallow, pained breaths with a pinched look on her face. The feeling seemed to plateau, so she told her aunt, "I'll be fine. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." McGonagall pursed her lips in disbelief and opened her mouth to suggest otherwise when Ava let out a strangled yelp and curled into a ball on the couch.

"That is most certainly _not _fine, Ava. I'll call for Poppy," she informed the young girl. The pain in her chest had spiked suddenly and Ava felt as though her ribs were expanding and about to burst, so she couldn't speak in response and just nodded frantically with her eyes squeezed shut, hoping that Madame Pomfrey would be there soon. She could hear Professor McGonagall quickly cast _Expecto Patronum_ but missed the message because of the sound of blood pounding in her ears. She hadn't ever experienced this level of pain before and was trying desperately not to cry. Her aunt was trying to soothe her by rubbing softly on her back and whispering soft reassurances that the pain would be ending soon.

* * *

The Marauders, minus one Remus Lupin, had decided to finish up their own dinners soon after Ava had taken off with McGonagall. The boys wanted a chance to see Remus before visiting hours were over since James and Sirius weren't really feeling up for sneaking around in the Invisibility Cloak tonight. They had a lot on their minds since the meeting with the Potters was tomorrow and it was difficult for them to not speak their minds about Ava, Remus, and the soulmate spell to the other two Marauders. Madame Pomfrey let the teenagers into the Hospital Wing to visit their recovering friend and mentioned that he was awake.

Moving through the privacy curtains, Sirius could see that Remus was indeed awake and was finishing up his dinner. "Hey, Moony," he piped up as he flung himself down in the chair next to Remus' bed just a second before James attempted the same. The Potter heir let out an indignant noise as he collided with Sirius and did not win the only seat besides the bed. Remus chuckled at his friends' actions and greeted them. The boys chatted for a bit about classes and social drama that Remus had missed out on when they heard Professor McGonagall's voice shouting in a panic throughout the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy! Come quickly! Bring a strong pain potion for Ava! Please hurry, it seems to be getting worse!" her voice echoed in the quiet room. The boys had turned towards the direction of McGonagall's voice and could see a blue glow through the white privacy curtains, which disappeared as her message ended.

James and Sirius looked at each other in undisguised concern for their new friend and possible soulmate of their furry one. "Guys? What is it? Who's Ava?" Remus asked hesitantly.

Peter saved the other two boys from answering as he stated, "She's McGonagall's niece. She just got here yesterday." His eyes widened. "She's the one who showed up in the Shack right when you transformed."

"Peter!" James hissed disapprovingly.

Remus had paled and started to slightly tremble. "DidIbiteher?" he breathed out in a rush.

Sirius frowned as he asked, "What?"

"Did. I. Bite. Her?" he grounded out while his fingers alternated between clenching into fists and extending out.

All three of his friends shook their heads vehemently. "No, Moony!" James exclaimed.

"Yeah, mate. You didn't bite her. You know we wouldn't have let that happen," Sirius added, trying to calm his werewolf friend down.

Peter let out a laughing huff, causing Remus' gaze to whip to his. "What could possibly be funny about me potentially biting another person and giving them this-this _curse_?" he growled while gesturing up and down his body. "I could have _killed_ her!" he added with a hoarse shout.

"For fuck's sake, Moony. You _didn't_ bite her and you definitely didn't _kill_ her," Sirius repeated while running his hand down his face.

Peter was a little startled at the anger emanating from Remus and squeaked out, "You-you didn't even _try_ to bite her." He gulped and continued to explain when the glare from the werewolf didn't recede. "Moony just kinda sniffed her, then everything was like normal."

Remus looked at James and Sirius in confusion. "Is that what happened? I really didn't bite her? You're not just trying to make me feel better?"

James looked rebuffed and muttered, "Don't you think we would've told you if you had actually bitten someone?"

Remus had the decency to look embarrassed at doubting his friends. Sirius sighed and stood up. "It's true, Moony. You didn't bite her. You really did just sniff her for a bit, growled at _me_, and then we played like usual. We literally just had dinner with her, she's fine," Sirius reassured the paranoid werewolf.

Remus blinked a few times, adjusting to this new information and then furrowed his brow while asking, "What did she do? While we were playing then? Did you guys get her out of the room just in case?"

The boys hesitated in answering, causing the werewolf to begin to panic once more, so James spoke quickly, "No, actually. I'm not sure that you would've let her leave, but Moony was perfectly fine with her."

"Could she tell that I was a werewolf?" he asked confusedly.

Sirius let out a loud laugh. "Ava thought that you were a 'big puppy'," he told him with a smile.

Remus pulled a face and opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He tried to speak once more but merely replied, "I don't even know what to say to that."

James scoffed. "You and us both, mate. It was so strange watching her handle the whole situation."

Sirius chimed in, "And oh boy, she did not disappoint. She's a Gryffindor through and through that one."

Remus finally smiled a little and teasingly said, "You sound almost proud, Padfoot."

Sirius merely smiled in response.

"Well, she's bloody out of her mind either way," the werewolf stated firmly and crossed his arms.

James rolled his eyes but felt the need to defend his new friend considering what she was going to mean to Remus in the future and the fact that she looked as they felt when his transformation back into a human was over. "She's a smart bird, Moony. Nice too. You'll meet her soon enough." Just a few minutes later, the boys left Remus to rest as they would likely see him in the morning, either by visiting him after breakfast or he'd be down in the Great Hall with them.

Once they were out in the corridor, James and Sirius dropped behind Peter a bit. The canine Animagus leaned over to his messy-haired friend and whispered, "Do you know anything about Ava and what McGonagall could be worried about?"

James shook his head and muttered, "No, but whatever it is, it can't be good if it's 'getting worse'." The boys shared a troubled look and followed after Peter up to Gryffindor Tower in a contemplative silence.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey sprinted down the corridors to reach Professor McGonagall's quarters as soon as she physically could. She was grasping a vial of the strongest pain potion she kept in her stores in one hand and held her wand in the other, prepared to cast any healing spell at a moment's notice. The door to the professor's quarters was open thankfully, so the healer quickly strode in and assessed the situation. Avalynn was still curled in the fetal position atop the sofa with her arms wrapped around herself, with McGonagall's hand resting on her back. The older witch looked at Pomfrey with wide, frantic eyes, dearly hoping that the healer would be able to help the poor girl. Pomfrey could tell that Ava's face was scrunched in pain as she approached the girl and her anxiously awaiting aunt.

"It's the pain in her chest, like from this morning," McGonagall confirmed for the matron.

Madame Pomfrey nodded and bent down on her knees in front of Ava. She spoke the girl's name firmly, causing Ava's eyes to slowly open. They were full of unshed tears, prompting the healer to open the vial of potion and hold it out for Ava to take. Her hand quickly grasped the vial and she downed the potion as fast as she could. _Please work, please work_, Ava repeatedly to herself. Slowly, but surely, the piercing pressure behind her ribs diminished, allowing Ava to breathe normally again. Madame Pomfrey patted her shoulder and said, "That's a good girl, deep breaths now."

Ava followed the directions and took several deep breaths before she reached up to wipe away the salty streaks down her face when the unfortunate sensation in her chest vanished. Sitting up slowly and unfurling herself, Ava softly said, "Thank you. Both of you." Looking at the two older witches sharing an intense stare, Ava sighed. "This isn't normal, is it?" she asked in a defeated tone.

"We aren't entirely sure, dear, but it is most concerning that the painful feeling that you are experiencing seems to be progressing at an alarming rate," Madame Pomfrey informed her, confirming Ava and McGonagall's worries.

Once again, Ava sighed. "Whatever," she softly muttered. "I'm fine now. Can I go to bed?" she asked with annoyance lacing her tone. Ava was physically exhausted after that whole ordeal and just wanted the day to be over. Without waiting for a response, she stood up from the couch and headed towards her bedroom that McGonagall had previously added to her quarters.

"Ava," her aunt called. Once the young girl had turned, indicating that she was listening, McGonagall continued, "We will discuss this further tomorrow. Especially after we have had a good look at the Potters' grimoire."

Ava silently nodded then stepped into her bedroom, closely the door behind her.

Pomfrey asked, "I'm assuming that you'll inform me about the spell and any pertinent information regarding her health, magical or otherwise?" There was an edge to her voice that didn't leave any room for argument, but McGonagall was already intending on doing so.

"Of course, Poppy. I only hope that we can garner some useful insight from the grimoire tomorrow," she replied softly, feeling utterly useless in this situation, not having any experience with soulmates.

"I'm sure we'll figure out something, Minerva," the healer tried to reassure both herself and the professor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> In case you're wondering, I got the idea for Ava's wand just by perusing the Pottermore pages for wand woods and cores and I thought that the description for Blackthorn and Phoenix feather fit her well.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

Chapter 8

Avalynn rolled over in the guest bed of Professor McGonagall's quarters, trying to get back to sleep. However, the numerous thoughts running through her head were preventing that from happening. The young girl couldn't help but ponder on her situation: arriving in a world where magic is real and supposedly having a soulmate who, until recently, she thought was a fictional character. She snapped her eyes open and let out a huff of frustration, causing strands of her blond hair to flutter off her face momentarily before settling back down. Ava had no clue as to what time it was, so she figured it'd be best to get up and grab some food before the meeting with the Potters and the grimoire that was unknowingly a co-conspirator in deciding her fate. The anxious girl couldn't help but roll her eyes at her own melodramatic way of thinking. Not wanting to prolong her day any more, Ava heaved herself out of the comfy bed and padded across the stone floor to the wardrobe and quickly decided on a nice set of mauve robes.

After dressing and freshening up in the bathroom, Avalynn stepped out into the living room of the professor's quarters to see the woman herself sitting at the small dining table, nursing a cup of tea.

"Good morning, Ava," the older witch greeted.

"Morning, Aunt Minerva," Avalynn replied with a weak smile.

Frowning, the professor asked, "Has the pain returned?"

Ava sighed, realizing that she'd probably need to get another dose of pain potion from Madame Pomfrey. "It's not hurting at all right now, but it probably will later. And worse too," Ava said as she moved to sit down at the table. However, Professor McGonagall held up a hand.

"Let's head down to the Great Hall. It's a little after nine, dear, and we have our meeting with the Potters at ten," the professor stated.

Ava nodded in agreement and the two women left for breakfast. They had only been walking in a comfortable silence for a couple minutes when they were joined by none other than James and Sirius. The boys couldn't stop thinking about the scene last night in the Hospital Wing and were worried about what was wrong with the young girl. Ava's face initially brightened at the sight of the boys, but her smile dropped when Sirius and James maintained serious expressions.

"Good morning, professor," they chimed in unison, bouncing on their toes. Sirius looked at Ava pointedly while James politely added, "Can we talk with Ava?"

McGonagall rose an eyebrow. "I believe that would be up to my niece, Mr. Potter," she retorted. James' gaze flickered to Ava's expectantly and she nodded without hesitation.

"I expect to see you three in the Great Hall momentarily," the older witch commented before continuing to walk down the corridor.

As soon as the professor had rounded the corner, James and Sirius started jabbering simultaneously. "Are you okay?" James asked as Sirius questioned, "What the hell happened last night?"

Taken aback by the fact that the boys knew something had happened to her the night before, and the level of concern in their voices, Ava's eyebrows raised, as did her hands, and she let out a slow, "Whoa. Chill out, guys."

James rolled his eyes before heeding Ava's words, and Sirius did the same, but not before letting out a groan of annoyance.

Avalynn took a deep breath before saying, "Look, I don't know what you think happened, but I'm fine." She didn't wait for a response from them and began walking towards the Great Hall once more. The two Marauders shared a look then quickly strode down the corridor to catch up to Ava.

"We're just concerned, Ava. We wanted to make sure that you're okay. That's all," James reassured her.

She briefly entertained the idea of telling the boys about her physical connection to Remus, but decided against it as it would only result in more information that they would need to keep from their friend. So, Ava just waved them off and merely said, "It was nothing. I'm fine." A quick glance at their faces told Ava that they didn't believe her, so she added, "Seriously. It's nothing, guys."

As they descended the staircase, she could hear Sirius grumbling under his breath. Something about a "stubborn witch", causing Ava to roll her eyes. She didn't feel that they needed to know everything that was going on in her life. James held open the door to the Great Hall for Ava and Sirius, but the young girl was halted once more by the view in front of her. I don't think I'll ever get used to this, she thought dreamily as her eyes roamed over the enchanted ceiling and floating candles. Too preoccupied with the impressive visual magic, Avalynn failed to notice that Sirius had guided her to a seat at the Gryffindor table. She had also failed to acknowledge the increasingly warm, pleasant feeling spreading throughout her body until she was sat between the boys and prompting from James caused her to look up across the table. Directly into the green eyes of Remus Lupin.

* * *

Remus looked up from his breakfast as he picked up the familiar cadence of Sirius' voice as he approached the Gryffindor table. Immediately, the werewolf noticed the girl that he and James appeared to be dragging along to the meal. His friends sat down across from himself and Peter, taking their places on either side of the girl, and Remus' surprise must've shown on his face because James gave him a shrug and small smile in response to his unspoken question. He assumed that this new girl must be McGonagall's niece and something special if his close friends were letting her into their lives so quickly.

Remus couldn't keep a grin from forming on his face when he realized that Ava was distracted by the enchanted ceiling. She had the same look of awe on her face that he did every time he managed an exciting new spell. As Sirius guided the girl down into her seat, Remus noticed that she was rather pretty. Her hair was several shades lighter than his and pulled back into a messy braid that seemed to suit her well. Remus heard James mutter something in the background as he continued to take in Ava's appearance. Her nose and cheeks were sun-kissed, as were her arms, and Remus briefly wondered if the rest of her skin looked so delicious. _Wait, what?!_ he thought as his brain came to a screeching halt right before the most gorgeous deep blue eyes locked with his.

With his mind seemingly out the window for the moment, Remus was functioning on instinct. Which meant that his wolf was taking stock of his surroundings, so he picked up on the fact that Ava's heartbeat spiked when she made eye contact with him, allowing a confused frown to form on his face. Remus thoughts didn't linger on that though. Not when he could feel Moony beginning to stir. He took a deep breath to calm himself, but it had the opposite effect. The tantalizing smell that wafted up his nostrils was from Ava, but slightly familiar, and made him feel a strange mixture of emotions. It only took another second for Moony to analyze the scent and decide that he felt comforted and excited at the same time, but on edge as well. As if he needed to defend something or someone from harm. This realization caused the frown on Remus' face to deepen. He wasn't a stranger to that particular feeling, but it only occurred when one of his close friends was in a situation that wasn't one hundred percent safe. Which, with his special brand of friend, was often. Fortunately, Moony seemed to be just as puzzled as he was, so the wolf settled down, not having a coherent plan of action. As he slowly came back to himself, Remus still couldn't reason out why he would have such a reaction to Ava. Since it wasn't an extremely strong reaction, he mentally shrugged and shook his head to focus on the conversation and the blush that was prettily spread across Ava's cheeks.

James had a hand resting on the girl's shoulder and was giving her what the werewolf interpreted as a reassuring smile. Remus felt unnerved when he noticed the contemplative look Sirius was giving him. He returned his gaze back to James when his friend asked, "Moony?"

"Huh?" Remus intelligently replied.

The young girl gave the werewolf a shy smile and extended her hand tentatively across the table. "I'm Ava McGonagall. James felt the need to give you a bit more information than necessary, so you didn't miss anything special", she informed him quickly.

Feeling slightly embarrassed at the implication that the pretty girl knew he had zoned out a bit at the sight of her, Remus reached out to shake her hand, hoping to improve his first impression with her. "Hi, it's nice to meet you. I'm Remus Lupin."

As their hands clasped each other and made skin on skin contact, Remus could see Ava's eyes widen in what looked like surprise, and once more he could detect an increase in her heart rate as her eyes flickered back and forth between their joined hands and his own eyes. After shaking hands for the polite few seconds, Remus attempted to pull his hand out of Ava's, but she didn't seem ready to relinquish his appendage quite yet. He raised a curious brow at the new girl and cleared his throat slightly.

Ava's grip minutely tightened before she snatched back her hand. "I'm so sorry," she muttered breathlessly.

Wanting to continue with a good first impression, Remus merely shrugged and flashed her a friendly smile before continuing to eat his breakfast.

* * *

Ava's thoughts were spinning wildly out of control since she grasped Remus' warm, strong hand. Holy shit. Did he feel that? What was that? I need to tell Aunt Minerva. Aunt Minerva. I'm even calling her that in my head now. Focus, Ava. Shit. I hope Remus didn't feel that too. He didn't look like he felt it. Whatever it was. The "it" Ava was referring to was the sudden rush of warmth that spread throughout her body like a shock wave the instant she made contact with Remus' skin. She was overwhelmed with an almost giddy feeling just at being in his presence.

Ava internally rolled her eyes as she replayed the scene in her mind. God. He probably thinks I'm socially inept or something. Not letting go of his hand like that. I just couldn't. It felt too good. She was fairly certain that releasing Remus' hand was the most difficult thing she's ever done. She almost couldn't do it. Her brain, and magic, she supposed, were sending mixed signals to her hand. Her rational thoughts were telling her to immediately let go of his hand, for fuck's sake. But the others were demanding that she hold onto him for dear life. When the idea of launching herself across the table to cuddle into Remus' strong arms crossed her mind, Ava snapped out of it and pulled her hand back as fast as she could, trying to break the connection between herself and the werewolf.

Sirius nudged the preoccupied girl from her thoughts with an elbow to the ribs. She glanced up to see his inquisitive stare, but shook her head once to indicate she would answer whatever his questions were later. There was no way for her to discuss this situation in front of Remus, so it would just have to wait. And even then, Ava wasn't sure she wanted to let James and Sirius in on the fact that she apparently craved to be in physical contact with their werewolf friend.

Ava ate her meal as quickly as she could, looking at the other students sitting at the table as little as possible, especially Remus. She hadn't even realized it at first, but of course, Lily, Peter, and the others were there as well. As soon as she was done, her gaze went to the Head table, with a silent plea that her guardian be finished with her breakfast too. All it took was a quick look of understanding from her Aunt Minerva before she shot out of her seat, muttering quick goodbyes and reminding Sirius and James that she would see them soon. Unable to control herself any longer, Ava briefly glanced at Remus and saw that he was interrogating James and Sirius about what "see you soon" meant, and hadn't given her parting a second thought. Of course he doesn't care if you got up and left Ava. He doesn't even know you, she thought harshly. The young girl had to remind herself that she may be privy to their connection as soulmates, but Remus was still in the dark, and rightfully so, and she couldn't hold that against him. Dispelling those thoughts with a shake of her head, Ava continued walking with great speed and quickly escaped the Great Hall. She hoped that she'd be able to put into words the experience she just had with Remus and that it would further their understanding of the spell.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.
> 
> Author's Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews and kudos! It's very encouraging :D

** Chapter 9 **

Avalynn's hasty departure from the Gryffindor table caused Professor McGonagall to put a little pep in her step so she could catch up to her panicking niece. She could only imagine what the poor dear was going through and how difficult it must be for her to acclimate to her new surroundings and relationships. As McGonagall approached Ava, she mentally scoffed at the recollection that those imbecilic Marauders were to blame for the young girl's situation. Those boys didn't mean any harm, most of the time, but they're in seventh year for Merlin's sake!

"Avalynn," she said gently while placing her hand on Ava's shoulder to slow down her pace.

Ava flinched before realizing it was just her aunt touching her. She was afraid that James or Sirius would follow her, and she really didn't need their pestering questions right now. Ava could see the inquisitive look on the professor's face, but thankfully McGonagall only said, "Let's go get settled into my office with a cup of tea before we meet with the Potters." Realizing that Aunt Minerva wasn't going to demand anything from her, Ava let out a relieved breath and nodded in agreement, continuing towards the office, or at least the direction she remembered it being. Absentmindedly following the professor, Ava's mind began to race again. She was still reeling from the interaction with Remus since it was the strongest sensation she's experienced so far, and to make it worse, she wasn't entirely sure what it meant. She could barely handle the fact that magic and soulmates were real! Ava had no idea how to explain what was happening to her body around Remus to herself, let alone other people, so she definitely didn't need anyone asking questions. She wasn't sure if they would believe her anyway. It seemed like no one really knew anything about soulmates, but hopefully the professor would be able to glean something from the grimoire that the Potters were bringing. The two witches arrived in the office and McGonagall quickly put together some tea for Ava, hoping that it could calm her nerves.

After they had been sitting for a couple minutes, McGonagall cleared her throat, gaining Ava's attention. The young girl quickly looked at her aunt and immediately knew what was coming, forcing an exasperated sigh from her lips.

The professor shifted in her seat before saying, "Now, Ava. I know that you may not want to declare your feelings for all of the world to hear, my dear. But please do not be upset with me as I am merely concerned for you." Ava huffed in annoyance, but settled when she took in the older witch's saddened expression. McGonagall continued, "I want you to feel comfortable approaching me with any questions or concerns, Ava." The young girl remained tight lipped, but nodded to show she was listening. "That's all I ask. It'll be ten o'clock in just a minute and I expect the Potters will be on-time, as will the boys. Godric knows that's one thing I can count on from those two hellions." At Ava's curious look, she explained, "In all the years of meeting with the Potters, those boys have never been late, not wanting to disappoint their parents further."

Ava rolled her eyes and let out a little laugh. "How often does that work?" she asked.

Now it was the professor's turn to laugh. "Not once that I know of," she replied with a small smirk. McGonagall stood from her chair and told Ava, "You can answer the door for Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, and I'll greet the Potters at the Floo." As soon as the older witch had finished her sentence, Ava heard a hard knock at the door of the office while a green light began to appear in the professor's fireplace. She quickly leapt up from her seat and opened the door for James and Sirius. They both originally had what appeared to be serious expressions on their faces, which were replaced with worry and slight annoyance as soon as they realized it was Ava who answered the door.

"What the hell happened this morning at breakfast?" Sirius hurriedly whispered with furrowed brows. Both of the boys looked genuinely concerned, but Avalynn narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Turning away from the door and retreating back into the office, Ava sternly thought, _I'm not telling them anything! Serves them right for causing this whole clusterfuck in the first place._ She ignored the groan and sigh of frustration from behind her as she walked towards Professor McGonagall and who she assumed were the Potters. Both of the parents had jet black hair, but as soon as Mr. Potter turned towards Ava, she could immediately tell where James and Harry got their looks from.

The bespectacled man took a step towards Ava and reached out to shake her hand as he said, "Hello, I'm Charlus Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss McGonagall. I only wish it was under better circumstances." He gave her an apologetic smile before turning to his wife and adding, "This is my wife, Dorea Potter."

Mrs. Potter shook Ava's hand as well and tried to offer reassurances. "I'm sure we'll get this all sorted out quickly and we'll leave you to the rest of you weekend, dear." Ava frowned slightly. Either the Potters didn't know all of the details of the spell that the boys cast, or they were the most super chill parents in the world. She tried to smile in return, but it probably came out more like a grimace. Deep down, there was that nagging voice that declared that there was no chance of her being able to return home, but Ava was trying to remain hopeful. She stepped towards the edge of the room, trying to give space for the Potters to greet their sons, and feeling quite a bit like an outsider. It was still incredibly surreal for Avalynn to see book characters alive and breathing, and her mind began to drift towards Remus once more when Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Perhaps we should discuss the spell?" she asked firmly, gesturing towards the chairs in front of her desk. She quickly transfigured two more chairs in front of her desk for the Potters and an additional one behind her desk, then indicated that Avalynn should sit there.

With raised eyebrows, Ava hesitantly asked, "You want me to sit here?"

McGonagall smiled at the young girl and replied, "Of course, dear. I'm your guardian. Not only is it my duty, but I would be very pleased if you allowed me to show my support for you by taking the seat beside you."

Ava's eyes briefly widened as she let out a soft, "Oh." She quickly scrambled to her seat next to the professor and looked up to see two curious Potters and two smiling Marauders.

Charlus started the conversation with, "So James owled us about needing the family grimoire for some sort of spell that he found in it over the summer, and now he's managed to cause some trouble with it?"

The professor's eyebrows rose in disbelief as Avalynn's jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me that he didn't provide any specifics in his letter to explain himself?" McGonagall asked in a furious whisper. Her response surprised both of the Potters, and they looked to James for answers.

With all eyes on him, James' face reddened and he gulped before quietly stating, "Sirius and I may have used that old Potter marriage spell to help Remus find his soulmate."

Mrs. Potter reached over and smacked each of the boys on the back of their heads as Mr. Potter sternly asked, "Did I hear that right? You used the marriage spell for another person?" He briefly glanced around the room then added, "And where is Remus?"

Both James and Sirius were staring down at the carpet, and seemingly refusing to answer, so Ava huffed a sigh. "Remus doesn't know about the spell," she informed the Potters.

Charlus frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Dorea cut him off. "You're his soulmate, dear, aren't you?" she asked softly. Ava couldn't read the woman's face, but it almost looked like she was excited by this fact. Ava silently nodded, so Charlus finally asked, "Why don't you want Remus to know, Miss McGonagall?"

Ava couldn't help the scoff that escaped her lips. "First of all, we don't know enough about the spell to know that Remus and I are truly soulmates." Ava could physically feel that lie settle in her chest like a weight. She took a quick breath and continued, "Second of all, let's say we are soulmates. I don't want the one person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with to feel forced into a relationship with me. We should only be together if _we_ want it, not just the magic behind the spell." She wanted to add the fact that she needed to return to her own world and life, but the Potters were under the impression that she was actually McGonagall's niece.

Both of the Potters looked contemplative for a moment before Charlus spoke up. "We may not use that spell anymore, but when it was popular, it worked out well for the married couple every time. Who's to say it won't do the same for you?" Ava could feel her face turning red in frustration. She was so over people trying to placate her feelings. She just wanted McGonagall to read over the spell so they could figure this all out and people could stop asking her how she feels or what's wrong. Maybe she could finally tell Remus about the spell too. That slightly painful feeling in her chest hadn't gone away yet, and Ava subconsciously rubbed at her sternum. The boys and their parents looked curiously at Ava, so McGonagall looked to her niece and tensed when she noticed that Ava was rubbing at her chest. The young girl made eye contact with the professor and slowly realized what she was doing before quickly placing her hands in her lap. McGonagall raised her eyebrows questioningly, but Ava just shook her head, trying to indicate that she was just fine. Avalynn took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down by remembering that there were more important things happening in the Wizarding World right now than her romantic life. _Whatever the result of this spell, it'll be fine. It's just Remus, not Voldemort or something. Get a grip, Ava._

While Avalynn was in her own thoughts, James apparently was given the grimoire and told to locate the page of the spell. Through her robes, she pinched herself on the arm, trying to make herself focus. James handed McGonagall the spell book, prompting Ava to lean over towards her aunt and attempt to read the information herself. Noting that it was in another language and had the wand movements next to certain groupings of words, Ava groaned and flopped heavily back in her chair. Once again, the Potters gave the young girl curious looks.

"Aren't you going to read over the spell, Miss McGonagall?" Charlus asked politely. James, Sirius, and the professor all looked to Ava quickly, realizing that they hadn't considered Ava's lack of magical education prior to the meeting.

Too irritated to think rationally, Ava sarcastically replied, "Oh, yeah. Because the girl who found out magic was real two days ago is _definitely_ going to be able to decipher this old ass spell and figure out a way to get the hell out of here before the freakin' Wizarding War starts." The sound of a gasp grabbed Ava's attention, and she scrambled up in her seat to see what the professor had found in the grimoire. "What? What'd you find?" she asked rapidly. Realizing that her aunt wasn't speaking, she looked up to see the professor's eyes darting back and forth between herself and the Potters. Frowning in confusion, Ava considered what could make McGonagall look so shocked and concerned. The young girl's face paled as she recalled her words from a moment ago. Ava turned her head to face the others across the desk and grimaced to see their reactions to the fact that she was new to the magical world. James and Sirius were wearing expressions much like the professor's. Charlus merely looked confused, but Dorea was glaring at her.

"Who exactly are you, young lady?" the woman asked lowly as she cautiously slid her wand into her hand.

James saw what his mother was doing, so he threw his hands up and yelled, "Merlin, mum! She's fine, you're overreacting! Ava isn't dangerous or anything."

"Yeah, mum, James is right. It's our fault anyway," Sirius piped up, looking around James at their parents.

Dorea's gaze flitted between Ava, her boys, and the professor as Minerva spoke up, "Dorea, we've known each other a long time. I've adopted this young girl, and I would not have done so if I thought she was a threat to your sons or any other student at Hogwarts."

Charlus reached over and placed his hand atop of Dorea's that was still clutching her wand. "C'mon, dear. I agree that it's rather peculiar that this young lady wasn't aware of magic until two days ago—," Dorea raised one eyebrow, prompting Charlus to continue in a lower voice, "And yes, it is suspicious that she mentioned a war, given the uh, current political climate, but let's hear them out, shall we?"

The other four occupants in the office let out breaths of relief. "Avalynn comes from—," McGonagall began, but she was interrupted by Ava's hand on her arm.

Ava looked at her aunt with exasperation. "They are no different than Sirius or James or yourself, professor."

McGonagall pinched her lips together, but nodded. Ava turned to the Potters to explain when Sirius stated in a surprisingly stern tone, "Now, mum and dad, you should listen to Ava." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, looked at the girl in question, and continued, "I didn't listen at first, but I should have."

Ava flashed him a quick smile that Sirius returned, and with his comment giving her confidence, she looked to the Potters once more and firmly said, "The information about myself and anything pertaining to this spell and how it affected me are confidential. Any information that I reveal is also not to be told to others. I promise you that I am not trying to be self-important here. I need a wand oath before I explain any further to make sure that you will not divulge any of this information without my knowledge or even on accident."

Dorea was scrutinizing the girl in front of her, who was appearing very serious and weary about this situation. Charlus gave Ava and Minerva an incredulous look before glancing at his wife, expecting to see the same expression upon her face. However, Mrs. Potter was slowly nodding her head. "Seriously, Dorea?" Charlus cried.

"Yes, dear. But first, I'd like an oath from Miss McGonagall here as well," Dorea reassured her husband.

Ava's eyes widened at first, but realizing that Mrs. Potter was probably just worried about her sons, she said, "Alright. What are your conditions?"

The professor and the boys were in various states of shock at Dorea and Ava's behavior, but they knew the two women were determined to get their oaths.

Dorea sat back in her seat and listed, "You will cause no harm to our sons, ourselves, and their friends."

Ava groaned internally. She would need to word the oath so that it wouldn't include Peter or anyone else that the Potters may consider friends. "Okay," she said slowly. She flicked her gaze to her aunt quickly, searching her face for any doubt that the oath would work. Ava knew that she must have some amount of magic to be able to see the castle and have a wand choose her, but she just couldn't fully accept it yet until she was bouncing around between classes and _Wingardium Levi-o-sa_-ing all over the school. Avalynn shook those thoughts from her head and quickly dismissed the discomfort growing in her chest as she concentrated on the wording of the oath. "I swear on my magic that I intend the Potters, their children, and their true friends no harm and will not purposefully cause them harm in any way," Ava stated firmly. She suddenly felt a sort of invisible tug in her gut towards the Potters, as well as James and Sirius. _Must've been the magic_, Ava thought curiously. She could tell that Mrs. Potter was mulling over her wording of the oath by the narrowed eyes pointed in her direction. Trying to keep everyone from reading into her particular wording any longer, the young girl cleared her throat and explained, "So your oath must include that you will not divulge any information about myself or anything that I may say without my express permission."

Both of the Potters nodded, then Dorea spoke, "I swear on my magic that I will not reveal any information about Miss Ava McGonagall, or any information that comes from her, without her permission to do so." Once his wife was finished, Charlus completed the oath as well and everyone sat around, tensely waiting for Avalynn to begin her story once more.

Ava opened her mouth to speak, but her aunt cut her off. "If I may? I believe that explaining how the spell works may provide details as to how Ava appeared to us in the first place," the professor offered hesitantly. Ava just shrugged, perfectly fine allowing someone else to do all of the explaining. "The grimoire states that the soulmates will be brought together during a great time of need." McGonagall paused, letting that sink in. She could tell when it did by the understanding looks that overcame the teenagers' faces. That little bit of information sent Ava's mind into overdrive once more. _So Remus needs me during the full moon. Now I've gotta become an Animagus?! No, stupid. Moony liked me as a human. Okay, good. One less thing to worry about. And he shouldn't have a problem with me being in the Shack during a full moon because he won't even remember_, she concluded brightly. Ava was once more subconsciously rubbing at her aching sternum, drawing the concerned attention of her guardian.

McGonagall reached out to grasp Ava's hand that was currently failing to rub away the pain and worriedly asked, "Are you sure you're alright, dear?"

If Ava didn't focus on the sensation, it wasn't too bad. But it was starting to get worse. Avalynn nodded and softly replied, "I'm okay for now. I'll need another in a little."

McGonagall pressed her lips together and looked as though she'd like to protest, but Ava raised her eyebrows expectantly for the professor to continue explaining the spell to everyone else in the room. The older witch huffed before resuming, "Now, Mr. Potter, am I correct to assume that your parents are aware of Mr. Lupin's…health condition?"

James and his parents all nodded in unison, and Ava noticed the pained expression that overcame Dorea's face. So maybe Remus is like a son to her too, she thought.

"Since the spell's intention was to bring together the soulmates in a time of need, Avalynn was brought to Mr. Lupin during his transformation," the professor continued. At the gasps from the Potters, McGonagall held up her hand. "She was not bitten by him. In fact, it appears that Mr. Lupin's wolf is rather…fond of Ava."

The boys chuckled as Ava smiled, recalling how Moony snuggled up to her. "It's true! Moony was almost like a puppy. He was actually a little protective of her," James said laughing. Both of the Potters were shocked beyond belief since they had never heard of a werewolf reacting in a nonviolent manner to a human.

Charlus then gave Ava a wide smile and commented, "Then you must be soulmates."

Ava shrugged and merely responded, "We'll see. Maybe we're just soulmates who are friends, and there's no romantic interest involved." As soon as the words left her lips, Ava let out a pained gasp, clutching her chest with one hand and the other gripping the arm of her chair tightly, causing her knuckles to whiten.

"Ava!" came the simultaneous shouts of concern from James, Sirius, and Professor McGonagall.

The sharp pain seemed to be passing, so Avalynn just waved them off. "I'm fine." She slowly lowered her hand from her chest and released her hold on the chair and seeing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, added, "Really, I'm all good. Can we just get on with the spell? Please?"

Something about the way Ava spoke, full of resignation, resonated with Mrs. Potter. "Of course, dear. Professor? If you will?" Dorea prompted McGonagall.

The professor gave her niece one last look-over before sighing in defeat and continuing with her findings. "Beyond bringing together the soulmates during a time of need, the spellwork also indicates that a bond is formed due to the use of blood." The older witch paused once more and looked pointedly at Ava. "It also seems that the spell will continue to draw the soulmates to one another until the bond is, well, completed," she finished cautiously. Ava drew her own conclusions about what that meant and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, causing the boys to laugh at her expense.

"Shut. Up," she growled as she glared at them. Unfortunately, even the Potters were smiling at this point.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Miss McGonagall," Dorea tried to reassured her, resulting in a condescending smile from Ava.

"Anything else, Aunt Minerva?" the young girl asked hesitantly. _Dear God, I hope not_, she added in her head. The dull, uncomfortable aching behind her ribs hadn't diminished, but thankfully Ava caught herself before she raised her hand to rub at her chest. _Really don't need Aunt Minerva freaking out again. I just want this to be over with._

The professor cleared her throat and shifted in her seat slightly, as if she were unsettled. "Well, dear," she started.

Sirius spoke up, noticing Ava's increasing agitation. "Professor, I think it might be best to be straightforward when it comes to Ava," he interjected, nodding his head towards Ava's once again reddening face. He smiled and added, "We wouldn't want her to show the, uh, more _colorful_ side of her personality in front of our rather respectable parents." All three of the teenagers couldn't help but chuckle at Sirius' observation. The professor had most definitely not forgotten the unique language that her niece possessed, and would rather avoid a scene if possible. Ava took a couple deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm, which McGonagall noticed.

"Brace yourself, dear," the older witch informed her niece. Ava's brows furrowed in worry as the boys and the Potters sat with their whole bodies at attention, all of them waiting in tense anticipation.

"Once the bond is established, the bond is eternal. It does not need to be fully completed for it to be so, however. Just the acknowledgment of the connection between the soulmates is enough to establish the bond," McGonagall explained. The others adopted somber expressions, confusing Ava, who didn't quite seem to grasp what the professor was implying.

"So what does that mean?" she asked impatiently, looking around the room for an answer from someone.

"Ava," McGonagall began softly. "If the connection between Remus and yourself is merely _established_, then you _will_ be bound to one another. There are likely to be consequences if you were to do otherwise, which could be quite severe. This is blood magic after all."

"But, but, what if—" Ava sputtered before her aunt placed a hand gently on her arm.

"I think we both know what your behavior means about the connection, dear," the professor stated quietly.

Of course, James chose that moment to speak up. "What behavior?" he questioned without hesitation.

Ava practically snarled as she turned to glare at the Potter heir. "This is all your fault," she grounded out as her fiery gaze flashed between James and Sirius. Everyone in the room was startled by her reaction. Both of the boys raised their hands placatingly.

Sirius quickly said, "We didn't know Ava, we promise. We didn't mean for this all to happen. We just wanted to help Moony."

"Yeah, c'mon, Ava. We talked about this. We really are sorry, but it was for Remus," James defended. "We had no intention of hurting you," he added with a remorseful look.

Ava's glare softened at the sight of the boys' genuinely regretful faces. She tried to steady her breathing and collect her thoughts. Pushing herself up out of the chair, Ava began to pace back and forth in the office. "So, once the bond is established, then that's it? No other relationships for either of us?" she asked for clarification as she walked.

"Yes, but—" McGonagall replied, but was cut off as Ava continued to think aloud.

"Okay, so. We'll figure this out. Remus needs me and I'll be there," the young girl stated.

"Be where? The Shack?" Sirius asked.

Ava went on as though he hadn't spoken. "But he still doesn't need to know. I might've established the connection, but he hasn't. Maybe if he doesn't then he could be released from the bond eventually," she said hopefully.

Dorea quickly asked McGonagall, "What does she mean that she's 'established the connection'?" But the professor merely shook her head, knowing this moment was clearly not the time to discuss the bond.

James leaned over to Dorea and worriedly asked, "Mum, what exactly is going on with Ava?" The witch looked at both of her sons and glanced over to the struggling girl that was boring a hole into the carpet.

"Unfortunately, I don't exactly know, dear," she informed them. "However, she was right. This is your doing. The least you could do is keep an eye on the girl and help her befriend Remus, if that's what she wishes."

James and Sirius appeared affronted. "Of course we will, mum," Sirius said. Their attention was drawn back to Ava who began to sound more and more panicked.

"This is awful. No one should have their free will taken from them," she continued to rant. She paused to look at the others. "Why does magic like this even exist?" At the baffled expressions reflected back to her, Ava rolled her eyes. "Neither Remus or I signed up for this, you know. I was perfectly fine where I was in my own world, and Remus would've been just dandy without me." The pain in her chest flared at that last bit, so she resumed her pacing to distract herself. Finally losing her temper, Ava shouted, "Fuck this shit! Seriously!" The adults gasped as the boys began to chuckle. However, a quick glare from Ava shut them up real fast.

"Colorful, indeed," Mr. Potter whispered to his wife.

"There are more important things we all need to worry about right now," Ava went on. "Like Mr. Potter said, 'the political climate.' That's what we'll do. You all will keep quiet about this whole soulmates nonsense and I'll ignore Remus as much as possible so that he doesn't get dragged into this too." Once again, Ava released a pained gasp and halted in her steps at the intense sensation in her chest.

McGonagall stood quickly and grasped the young girl by her shoulders. "Avalynn, I really think you should sit down," she said, her voice laced with concern and a bit of desperation.

But Ava wasn't listening. She couldn't help but notice that the feeling tended to happen when she mentioned Remus. _What!? Now my body reacts to being around Remus, but also just talking about him?!_

When Ava made no move to sit down, James spoke up and added, "Yeah, Ava, maybe you wanna sit down, or something?"

She looked at the boys and then shrugged herself out of the professor's hold. "No!" she shouted. "I refuse to let this-this _bullshit_ affect me." She gestured around the room wildly with her hands. "Because that's exactly what this whole shit storm is. Bullshit. Remus and I are _not_ soulmates." Suddenly, Ava fell to her knees with a cry of pain as the discomfort in her chest increased and began to throb with the beat of her heart.

At this point, everyone was out of their seats, and the professor and boys attempted to help Ava up from the floor and into a chair. Stubbornly, she brushed them off and gritted out between clenched teeth, "No. I'm fine." She attempted to stand on her own, but the pain behind her ribs struck acutely once more. Ava whimpered and collapsed to the floor, curling in on herself, and taking McGonagall down with her.

"Professor! What's wrong with her?" Sirius cried, his gray eyes wide with panic. The professor ignored him in favor of attempting to soothe her niece.

"Minerva, I know some basic healing and diagnostic spells. I can help," Dorea offered. But the older witch gave her a pained look and shook her head. McGonagall then summoned her Patronus to fetch Madame Pomfrey, urging her to use the Floo instead of walking to the office. James and Sirius looked at each other with understanding once they connected the appearance of McGonagall's Patronus to Ava's unusual behavior. Whatever was happening, it had happened before, and they were determined to get to the bottom of it.

To Ava, it was an eternity of suffering until Madame Pomfrey showed up. She couldn't help but release occasional cries of agony since it felt as if her chest was going to burst open. The only coherent thought Ava had the entire time was that she needed to see Remus. Even within the cloud of pain, she could understand that this was the magic's way of pushing her to be with her soulmate. Ava couldn't recall Madame Pomfrey's appearance or even the pain potion being forced into her mouth. As she awoke on the couch in McGonagall's quarters, she only remembered desperately wanting Remus and wishing the pressure behind her ribs would end.

Noticing that Ava was waking up, Sirius jumped up from his chair and crouched down on the floor in front of the sofa. "Ava?" he asked softly. He reached out to hold her hand and added, "How do you feel?"

The young girl let out a huff of annoyance. She felt like this was her life now. Explain yourself. Explain your feelings. Pain. Explain your feelings. Pain. She was so tired of it all, and it had been only a couple of days. Slowly sitting up, Ava could see that James, Professor McGonagall, the Potters, and Madame Pomfrey were all looking at her expectantly. "Well, come on then Madame Pomfrey. What's the prognosis? Am I dying?" Ava asked lightly as she righted her robes and braid.

"Avalynn, do not makes such jokes," her aunt admonished her.

Ava met her eyes and felt her anger deflate. _Screw it_, she thought. "Fine. Everyone wants to know what's going on? Everyone will," Ava announced. When no one made a move she grumbled, "C'mon, just take a seat already." Spurred on by her comment, the boys and the adults all found a comfortable position and settled in, hoping to glean some insight from the girl's explanation.

"But!" Ava said loudly while pointing a finger in the air. "I don't want any complaints about not being able to talk about it with anyone else. Obviously, you can speak to one another, but that means no furry friends, no matter how involved they are in this," she said, giving Sirius and James a pointed look. The boys shared a look then nodded in unison. They wanted to be able to understand and help Ava, even if it meant they couldn't share with Moony what was happening. Especially considering they already couldn't share much anyhow.

"So, as of now, not one of you knows the full situation as it stands, with the exception of Aunt Minerva." Ava flashed her a quick smile and continued, "But I didn't tell her about the latest development. However, let's start at the beginning for the Potters and Madame Pomfrey." The matron gave her a confused look before looking to Minerva for answers. Ava explained, "I'm sorry, but I only gave her permission to speak to you about things related to my health and the soulmate bond. Anyway, for those of you who are unaware, I'm not from this world. I was pulled from it and dropped here because of the spell and my connection with Remus. My world didn't have magic." She could tell that the Potters and Madame Pomfrey were skeptical. "I know it sounds ridiculously impossible, but you have to believe me. In my world, magic isn't real and this world—," Ava gestured all around the room. "Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, the Potters…Voldemort." The eyebrows of the Potters and the matron disappeared into their hairlines. "All of those are familiar to me through a book series. A _fictional_ book series." Ava cringed at the argument she could see building behind Charlus' eyes and put her hands up. "I know, I know. I sound crazy, right? But I'm not. I must come from an alternate universe or reality or something. I thought I was dreaming at first. To me, magic isn't real. You all aren't real, you're just characters in a book. But obviously, that isn't true. This world is real, and I'm in it. So, while I am here, I'm going to try and make a difference." Dorea opened her mouth to speak, but Ava cut her off. "I've already had this talk with Aunt Minerva and the boys, but since the events that have yet to come were explained in the book series that I've read, multiple times, I might add, I have a pretty good idea of when certain things will happen. Or when uh, certain, um, dark wizards will be doing…_things_." Ava crossed her arms and leaned back into the couch. "Questions?"

"How can we possibly know that you are who you say you are?" Charlus inquired. "How are we supposed to believe you, or trust you for that matter?"

Professor McGonagall looked slightly disgruntled, probably because Mr. Potter had inadvertently called into question her own opinion and thoughts of Avalynn, but her niece spoke up for her.

"You mean besides the fact that the Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress believes me? Besides the fact that this stupid soulmate spell works?" the young girl asked snidely.

"Hey now," Sirius piped up with a bright smile. "You're coming around to being with Remus?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "Well, now that's another thing we can discuss. Clearly, you all can see that something was going on with me just now." The various scoffs and indignant huffs that were produced around the room were enough for Ava to continue. "So, um—," she began to explain softly as she wrung her hands together. "Well, our connection, or whatever, is at least a bit, um, _established_ on my side."

"That was the spell?" Dorea asked sharply, causing Ava to glance up to her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to see true concern etched onto her face. _It's probably just for Remus_, Ava realized belatedly.

She nodded and replied, "The magic _really_ doesn't like it when I'm away from Remus for too long. I've had to take a couple pain potions because of that, but apparently it _really_, _really_ doesn't like it when I speak about not, um, being with Remus." She rubbed at her sternum at a slight twinge of pain accompanying that statement. "But I noticed this morning, at breakfast, that uh, well, I felt a sort of warm, tingly feeling—," she paused to glare at the boys when they couldn't hold in their chuckles. Continuing with a huff, "Like I was saying, I felt a rush of what I'm assuming is magic when I shook Remus' hand. So clearly, the magic really is pulling us together, trying to persuade me at least to be close to him." She was definitely not going to mention the fact that she could barely control herself and let go of the poor boy's hand.

Charlus had been quietly reading over the grimoire until that moment. "There are absolutely no notes in here about the side effects experienced by the pair matched with the spell. None at all!"

Ava chuckled a little and said, "That's probably because they grew up around magic and the idea of soulmates didn't seem so far-fetched to them, so no one resisted the spell." She shrugged, then added, "Not to mention the whole idea of arranged marriages being normal back then too."

Dorea chuckled this time. "They still are, dear."

Ava paled and turned to her aunt with a pointed finger. "Don't you go betrothing me to anyone!" Her body deflated a little as she murmured, "I'd also still like to see if I can find a way home."

"Yeah, about that," Charlus spoke. "Again, how can we believe or trust you?"

Ava tilted her head in thought. "Well, I guess I could tell you some stuff to prove myself, but I don't know if that'll make you trust me." She raised her brows at the Potters. "I did already make a wand oath."

Dorea and Charlus shared a look and nodded. Mrs. Potter looked to the adults when she asked, "How do we know that she won't go to the other side with the information she has?"

Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey looked taken aback at the suggestion and Ava cleared her throat. "Mrs. Potter, I've already told Aunt Minerva that I'd like to be a part of the Order."

"Not without us, you don't," Sirius announced at the same time both Potters nonchalantly asked, "What Order?"

Ava smiled and shook her head slightly. "The Order of the Phoenix."

"See?" the professor asked. "The lass knows things and it's why we all took a wand oath."

"Even Madame Pomfrey?" James inquired curiously.

The matron and Ava smiled at each other and Madame Pomfrey merely said, "Healer-patient confidentiality."

The young girl turned back to the Potters and her expression sobered. "Look, you may not trust me now, but you will," she spoke sternly. "I don't care if I'm dreaming or not, I'm not going let events unfold as they did before. It wouldn't be fair."

"What exactly do you mean, child?" Dorea questioned.

Ava shook her head. "I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you for certain that you'll be able to save lives if you let me help," she informed her without breaking eye contact, urging the woman to give her a sliver of trust, just for now.

Mrs. Potter nodded and appeared to relax back into her seat before placing her hand upon her husband's.

"Any more questions?" Ava asked the room.

Simply curious, Mr. Potter spoke up. "If you're so new to magic, will you be attending classes here?"

Ava made to respond, but Professor McGonagall replied first. "I will be conducting a diagnostic test with Ava later this afternoon to determine her abilities, but yes, Mr. Potter, she will be enrolled here at Hogwarts."

Charlus nodded and looked at his wife. He must've seen something in her eyes because he turned back to the professor and stated, "If you need any assistance in caring for your niece Minerva, financial or otherwise, we are here to help."

The older witch's jaw dropped, but she collected herself quickly and thanked the Potters for the offer. A second later the parents were standing to leave and Dorea approached Ava. In a gentle tone she said, "I hope you will give Remus a chance, dear. He's a wonderful boy."

Feeling defeated by the magic binding her and Remus together, Ava replied with a sigh, "Yeah, yeah, I know." Seeing that Dorea didn't appreciate her response, Ava straighted up in her seat and said, "Really, Mrs. Potter. I know he's a great guy. Studious and kind, and I obviously know that he's a werewolf and that honestly doesn't bother me one bit." Upon hearing Ava's words about her second adopted son, Mrs. Potter broke into a wide grin as she said her goodbyes.

Once the Potters were gone, Professor McGonagall shooed the boys away as quickly as possible before they could start pestering Ava with more questions. James and Sirius only relented and agreed to leave as long as they would be allowed to come by the witches' quarters before dinner and pick Ava up on the way. The teenage girl rolled her eyes, knowing that they planned to interrogate her then, but she acquiesced and sent them on their way. Madame Pomfrey and the professor shared a concerned look before turning to Ava.

The matron spoke first, "Ava, I'm leaving some pain potions with your aunt and I want you to be completely honest with her about the amount of pain you feel. I do not want to be summoned here once again to find you huddled on the floor in such pain, young lady." Feeling admonished, Ava simply nodded. "Good. Now, I'm going to start brewing some stronger pain potions in case you have any severe episodes. Both of you please let me know if you need anything else." She turned to Ava before adding, "Or if you just want to talk."

Ava smiled at the kindness that Madame Pomfrey was showing to her. She was honestly surprised at how nice everyone had been so far. Based on the look upon the professor's face once she turned around from parting with the matron, Ava braced for a lecture. However, her aunt merely said, "You better be more prompt with taking those pain potions, lass. My old heart can't take many more scares like that."

Feeling quite guilty, Ava nodded. "I will, I promise," she reassured the professor as she was handed a cup of tea. _Probably trying to keep me calm after all that_, Ava thought.

"Good, once you feel up for it, I'd like to get started," McGonagall replied.

Ava frowned in confusion. "With what?" she questioned.

The professor smiled at the young girl from behind her tea cup. "Are you ready to see just how much magic you can do?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 10**

Once Avalynn realized what Professor McGonagall was hinting at, she practically inhaled her tea. Wiping off the little bit of liquid that dribbled down her chin, Ava suddenly stood up from her chair and pulled out her Blackthorn wand. "I'm ready!" she announced with a bright smile.

McGonagall chuckled softly at her enthusiastic niece and set down her cup of tea. "Before we begin, I would like to discuss what your expectations are for this," she explained to Ava.

The young girl frowned and asked, "Like what I think my abilities will be?"

The professor nodded. "Exactly, what do _you_ think that you will be capable of? I'd like for you to remember that you have no prior magical education, even though you seem to have a rudimentary understanding of certain spells."

Ava's face turned sour at the word "rudimentary." As a fan of the book series, she felt that she excelled in her knowledge of spells, thank you very much. However, once Ava truly considered what spells she could _perform_, she didn't come up with much. She looked down at her wand as she spoke, turning it over in her hand, "I guess I actually _don't_ know a lot of spells. I mean, I know the incantations for quite a few, but I don't know the wand movements or anything." She paused. "I suppose it would help to know the theory behind the spells too, right?" Ava looked up to see McGonagall nod in agreement. "I mean, I did cast that _Protego_ pretty well," she continued with a grin.

The professor returned her smile briefly before she replied, "Yes, Ava, but consider the circumstances. You were in an unfamiliar situation and felt threatened."

Avalynn's smile dropped as she realized what her aunt was implying. "So, it was just a burst of accidental magic?"

"I believe so, my dear," McGonagall said softly. "I don't want you to think that all of the magic you recognize from your world will come easily to you, just because you've read about it. You need to actually perform magic regularly to build up your strength."

Ava nodded several times. "So, I'll be realistic and practice really hard."

"That's the proper attitude," her aunt encouraged her with a smile. She brandished her own wand as a safety measure, just in case. "Now, any particular subject you'd like to start with, dear?"

Ava grinned. "Charms, please," she replied, thinking of the only spell she knew the wand movements for. _Swish and flick_, she reminded herself in a voice quite like a young, bushy-haired Hermione Granger. Wrapping her hand tightly around her dark wand, Ava took a deep breath and firmly said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_," as she pointed her wand towards a book on the coffee table. Ava remembered to slightly flick her wand up to cause the book to lift off the table, which it surprisingly did. Ava was so startled that she lost focus and the book fell the three inches back down to the table. "Holy shit!" she shouted in excitement while looking at McGonagall with wide eyes. Her eyes flickered back and forth between her wand and the book and she uttered the curse once more before beginning to jump up and down, repeating "I did it!" in an awed voice.

Like the professor she was, her aunt merely rolled her eyes and exasperatedly asked, "Can you _please_ watch your language, young lady?"

Ava giggled and replied, "Nope! I just did magic! _Intentional_ magic!" While she had ceased jumping up and down, Ava was now performing a sort of victory dance around the room, alarming the professor with the amount her niece's hips and butt were moving.

McGonagall cleared her throat loudly several times, finally catching Ava's attention. "Would you like to show me that one again?" she asked with her brows raised.

Immediately, Ava scrambled over the back of the couch to position herself in front of the coffee table once more. She took a deep breath and uttered, "_Wingardium Leviosa_," pointing her wand towards the same book. Sure enough, it floated off the table a few inches each time Ava flicked her wand upwards. As the book rose in the air, Ava bit her lip in concentration, not wanting it to fall like last time. However, once the book reached her eye level, she couldn't keep her enthusiasm contained. She broke out into a wide grin and turned to McGonagall, breaking her concentration and thus dropping the book to the table. "Did you see that?" she asked her aunt excitedly.

The professor was trying to maintain a serious learning environment, but Ava's pure, childlike eagerness broke her down. She laughed and replied, "I did, indeed. You just performed a Levitation Charm. I know you've had your doubts, but you are most certainly a witch, Avalynn."

Ava was beaming still as she rushed towards McGonagall and wrapped the professor up in a tight hug. A breath of air was forced out of the older witch as Ava increased her grip. If not for her Animagus traits allowing her to hear better than the average person, McGonagall probably would've missed Ava reverently whispering, "Thank you. Thank you so much." A fond smile broke out on the professor's face. She had to remember that Avalynn was brand new to the magical world, even though she was nearly an adult by their standards. However, McGonagall could tell that something had changed when Ava's grip on her loosened and then tightened once more and the girl's body began to shake. She quickly released Ava and held her at arm's length, thinking that the poor girl was experiencing some sort of pain episode from the soulmate spell, but when she caught sight of Ava's face it wasn't contorted in physical pain. Her niece had tears streaming down her face from reddened eyes and she was attempting to bite her lip to keep it from quivering. Unable to maintain any sort of composure, the young girl sniffled and then began crying in earnest.

"Oh, Ava. What's wrong, dear?" McGonagall asked gently.

"I just—want to—go home," she managed to choke out between sobs and gasps for air.

The professor's heart broke a little in that moment. Just like Ava, she was so caught up in the fact that the young girl was capable of magic and getting her settled into classes at Hogwarts, that she had momentarily forgotten that she wasn't really from this world. Ava had quickly found a place in Minerva McGonagall's heart and it pained her to see the younger witch so distressed.

Before the older witch could offer any words of comfort, Ava's sobs subsided enough for her to explain. "I was fine, I swear. It just hit me all at once that if I can actually do magic, then this world really _is_ real. And that means that everything I've read is real, and it's not going to be good professor. Voldemort and the Death Eaters are _real_. And now I'm the one who has to do something? Just because I happen to know things? Everything would just be better if I could go home." Ava's crying and breathing increased once more as she stuttered out, "I—I just want t-to wake up in bed, and this—this all be a dream. And—and I'm home and everything's f-fine."

The girl dropped her head again to McGonagall's shoulders, and the professor patted her back gently and firmly reassured Ava, "You may have difficulties ahead of you, dear, we all do, that is clear. However, I am here for you and you are not alone, Ava. I daresay that Mr. Black and Mr. Potter are here for you as well." She pulled away from Ava and held onto her shoulders, looking directly in her teary, blue eyes and added, "We will try our very best to return you to your world, make no mistake about that. If it is determined that you must remain here, you should know by now that I am very much willing to accept you into my life. And I will protect you and teach you as much as I possibly can, Avalynn, I can guarantee you that."

Sniffling, Ava nodded and leaned in for another hug from her adoptive aunt. After another minute or so, McGonagall softly suggested, "How about we continue your diagnostic testing later, dear?"

Ava abruptly pulled away from the professor with an incredulous look. "What?" she asked, louder than necessary. She flinched and adjusted her volume. "I mean, why? Can't we keep going?"

With surprise written all over her face, McGonagall replied, "Well, I thought that you might like to recover for a little and gather your wits about you first."

The girl took a deep breath as she wiped her eyes and nose and said, "Wits all gathered. I'm good to go." The older witch merely raised an eyebrow, so Ava huffed and added, "I really don't think there's much else to do honestly. I don't think I know any other spells' incantations and wand movements."

Relenting, the professor sat down on the sofa and indicated for Ava to do the same. "How about we'll go subject by subject and I'll list the spells by year? You can tell me when you don't recognize the spells any longer." Ava nodded, so they began.

Apparently, there was a lot more involved in a magical education than Ava remembered reading in the books. She also quickly realized that she would more than likely be placed in first year classes since she couldn't actually perform the spells. For Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, it was determined that even though Ava knew the incantations for almost every spell taught to each year, she would need tutoring for the wand movements and magical theory. Fortunately, McGonagall was going to allow Ava to get away with merely reading the required texts for each year of History of Magic since they didn't perform any spells in that class. As with Charms and Defense, Ava could list off numerous potions and what they did (Although McGonagall was baffled by the mention of Wolfsbane at first), but once again, she could not actually create the potion herself. She didn't know every ingredient that went into the potions nor the steps required. When Transfiguration was mentioned, Ava frowned deeply in concentration. She couldn't recall a single spell specific to Transfiguration on her own. The professor was bewildered by this fact and demanded to know why not. The young girl cringed and explained, "Well, a lot of the spells mentioned in the books revolved around fighting, or were kind of random, like unlocking doors, banishing a Boggart, a Patronus, producing water—"

McGonagall interrupted Ava with, "Yes! That's Transfiguration."

"Is it?" Ava asked confusedly.

The professor huffed. "Yes, Ava. You're conjuring water. That's Transfiguration. Do you remember the incantation?"

"_Aguamenti_, right?"

McGonagall beamed at her. "Exactly." Her smile dropped a little as she stated, "Well, it seems as though you'll be needing first year instruction with that class as well."

She may have let out a sigh of annoyance, but Ava understood.

"Now, how about Herbology and Astronomy?" McGonagall continued on, causing Ava's eyes to widen.

"Um, well, the only things I know for sure are some constellation names, the fact that Devil's Snare doesn't like light, and that Mandrakes can be used for helping restore people who have been petrified," the young girl admitted.

"Oh, dear," the professor said worriedly. She pressed her lips together in thought before sighing. "Now don't let this go to your head Avalynn, but I want you to choose one or the other. Herbology or Astronomy. At your age and in your particular situation, you simply do not have time to learn all that you need to. Based on what you've told me so far today about the spells used in the books from your world, it is more likely that you will not be reliant on skills you learn from those two classes." Ava let out a breath of relief, causing McGonagall to continue in a stern voice. "However, I expect high marks in all of your classes. There will be no slacking off, young lady. You are a Gryffindor and a McGonagall."

Regardless of the fear that the older witch was attempting to strike into Ava's heart, the young girl smiled. "Thank you Aunt Minerva." She thought for a moment before inquiring, "Which one would you choose? Herbology or Astronomy?"

McGonagall let out a breath. "I'll not be deciding that for you, Ava. Consider which one you might find more interesting. A class is always easier if you enjoy it."

Ava considered for a moment. "I'll take Astronomy. Constellations and stars are pretty cool," she said with a shrug.

"It may not come as a surprise to you, but you're abilities are on par with that of a first year student in every subject," McGonagall informed her. "As such, those are the classes you will begin with, and I will allow for you to move up to the next year's classes as you progress in each subject."

Avalynn got excited with that news. _That means I can move up whenever. I can read and practice all I want, and I'll be good to go in no time at all_, she thought brightly.

"Now, because of how far behind you are, for the time being at least, I strongly suggest against participating in any extra-curricular activities and elective courses," the older witch continued. "Also, I would like to assign you tutors so that you'll have more help catching up to your peers."

Ava nodded, recalling when Dumbledore briefly mentioned that during their meeting. "Can I ask for anyone in particular?" she asked, trying to seem nonchalant.

The professor smiled knowingly. "You may be able to study with your friends in the future, Ava, but I think students closer to your level of abilities would be better suited for now."

The young girl grumbled unintelligibly but nodded anyhow.

"Like I mentioned before, you may learn History of Magic at your own pace simply by reading the texts and taking the tests for each year. Until you progress to the next year, you'll be attending the first year classes. The same goes for your other subjects as well," McGonagall explained. "Now, for Transfiguration, I will personally see to it that you progress at an acceptable rate." At first, Ava was excited by the thought, but then became a little nervous because it is _McGonagall_ after all. "As for Charms, I know of a third year student that excels in that area, and I've heard he's quite good at Defense against the Dark Arts too actually. I'll have to speak with him to see if he's willing to tutor in two subjects, however. He'll likely agree though, dear, being a Ravenclaw, and he's a nice boy too."

"Oh? What's his name?" Ava asked, thinking that she probably wouldn't know anyone outside of the seventh years. _There's Regulus though_, she reminded herself.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," the professor replied.

Ava's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. _Hmmm, well, I hadn't expected that_. She let out a giggle. _He's going to be so little_. "Okay, so what about Potions and Astronomy?" she asked, already having a name in mind for one of the classes.

McGonagall thought for a moment before saying, "For Astronomy, there is one student who does exceedingly well, but you'll need to decide if you're willing to work with him. I believe you've also already met? Regulus Back?"

The young girl tilted her head in confusion. "Why _wouldn't_ I work with him?" she inquired.

The professor cleared her throat. "Well, he's in Slytherin and from a notoriously dark family—," and she might've continued, but Ava interrupted her.

"Seriously?" her niece asked in an incredulous voice. Ava frowned as she looked into the woman's eyes, then questioned in a harsh whisper, "Do _you_ believe that Professor McGonagall?"

The older witch was startled by the thinly veiled anger in the girl's tone. "Good Godric, no, dear. I don't agree with all that codswallop. I believe in judging people as individuals by their words and actions. Just because our two houses don't exactly get along doesn't mean all Slytherins are dark wizards and witches. The same goes for Mr. Black and his family's reputation. Why, look at Sirius Black for example. I don't know Regulus Black as well as his brother, that's true, but it is never a good idea to make assumptions."

Relaxing back into her seat, Ava hummed in agreement then announced, "I'd like for Regulus to be my tutor for all of the years of Astronomy."

McGonagall nodded and replied, "That shouldn't be too difficult of a work load for him to handle. Now, what about Potions? I'm sure Professor Slughorn wouldn't mind providing you with any assistance."

As if it were a reflex, Ava immediately retorted, "Ew, no thanks." She hesitated a little before adding, "Snape would be much better."

The professor's eyebrows rose incredibly high at that suggestion. She cleared her throat lightly and asked for clarification, "I'm sorry, Ava, but did you say 'Snape'? As in, Severus Snape?"

The girl smiled at her knowingly and nodded firmly. "Yep, Severus Snape," she confirmed while twirling her wand in the air. She couldn't bear to put it away even though she wasn't performing any kind of magic right now. She just felt more…energized with the Blackthorn in her hand. As of yet, the thorns that seemed to be randomly placed still hadn't punctured her skin, even as she twiddled it about in her fingers.

McGonagall took a breath. "Now, Ava, you heard what I just said about not judging those in the Slytherin house purely based on their house, but Mr. Snape is a different story. He's notorious for his acerbic personality and he, well, he called Lily Evans a derogatory word whilst they were supposedly friends."

Ava merely rolled her eyes and responded with a tired, "Yes, yes, I know all about it. We'll be just fine." She made sure to make eye contact with McGonagall before adding, "Trust me." She huffed out a laugh. "Besides, Snape is _way_ better at Potions than Professor Slughorn and I need a decent foundation, so why not just start with Snape?"

The older witch shook her head and replied, "I'll attempt to persuade him, Ava, but I'll give you no guarantees." She didn't bother reprimanding Ava for speaking out against another member of the faculty, knowing it likely wouldn't change the young girl's mind.

"Okay, thanks," Avalynn said with a shrug. She figured that if McGonagall couldn't convince Snape, then maybe Regulus could, or Ava could herself. Who wouldn't be curious about the nearly adult student seemingly showing up out of the blue?

The professor stood up from her seat, declaring it was too late for lunch in the Great Hall, so she called for Flopsy and asked the elf to bring the two witches some sandwiches and side dishes. While eating, Ava contemplated her plan of study. She wanted to focus on the more useful skills first, then work her way to accomplishing things like History of Magic and Astronomy. After the meal, she was quite insistent that she practice her magic, hoping to master the first year spells for some classes by Monday so that she could be placed in a higher year from the start. The only classes that she could really work on by herself at the moment were Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense. Feeling confident about Charms since she could perform a Levitation Spell, that's what Ava started with. McGonagall suggested that she read the text to gain an understanding of the theory behind each spell, practice saying the incantations, then attempt to perform the spell with the wand movements once she had read the instructions all the way through. It sounded like pretty solid advice and considering who it was coming from, Ava listened. So she read, and read, and read a little bit more, and finally got to the spells. Just for fun, she cast _Wingardium Leviosa_ on the novel that McGonagall was reading. The professor merely shook her head with mirth and snatched the book out of the air. For each spell, Ava had her aunt double and triple check her pronunciation of the incantations and the accuracy of her wand movements before she actually cast the spell fully. Soon enough, she had worked her way through _Lumos_, as well as _Lumos Solem_, _Nox_, _Oculus Reparo_ (for which McGonagall had kindly transfigured some glasses for her), _Alohomora_, and _Immobulus_.

Ava had just finished casting her fifth _Immobulus_ on a pair of socks that she had balled up for practice and threw into the air, when she heaved herself onto the sofa with a jaw-breaking yawn. She huffed out a breath and announced, "I'm exhausted!"

McGonagall laughed lightly as she placed a bookmark into her novel and explained, "You just practiced several spells, back to back, _several times_. Of course you're going to be tired, dear. I wasn't joking when I said that you'd have to have to build up your strength. With your determination, I'm sure your magical core will be strong enough in no time. For now, when you feel fatigued, I would suggest that you eat a snack or meal, depending on the time of day, and possibly take a little nap."

The young witch groaned, "If I sleep, then I'll have less time to practice."

The professor frowned and sternly informed her niece, "You mustn't work yourself to the brink of physical exhaustion, Avalynn. Besides the fact that you could faint, it's dangerous. Why do you think the students only learn a handful of spells each year? Their magical cores have to build up the stamina to support the amount of magic they'll be performing. However, you're an unusual case, dear. I think you'll be quite alright if you ease into using magic regularly at a _slightly_ accelerated rate." She gave Ava a pointed look.

Ava nodded in understanding. She felt quite content on the sofa and slightly adjusted herself into a more comfortable position. She figured that she could read for a while, then get back to practicing the spells. Picking up the first year Transfiguration textbook for the coffee table, Ava settled back into the couch and began to read. After a mere few minutes though, she succumbed to the magical fatigue and fell soundly asleep.

Only an hour or so later, Professor McGonagall was grading papers as Ava jolted awake, jostling the Transfiguration textbook to the floor. "What time is it?" she asked groggily.

Without looking up from the papers on her desk, the older witch replied, "We have about thirty minutes before dinner, dear. And I'll kindly ask you to retrieve that book from the floor."

Immediately Ava apologized and set the book on the table. She rubbed her eyes and stood up from the sofa slowly, stretching out her limbs. "So, if I practice and study, can I take the first year exam for Charms tomorrow?" she asked hesitantly.

McGonagall stopped marking an essay and look at her niece with a raised brow. "Are you certain that you don't want to wait for some tutoring this week first? You don't need to rush your learning, Ava," she responded.

The young witch grimaced, knowing that she did and most definitely should learn as much as she could, as quickly as she possibly could. She would be at quite the disadvantage if her peers or others that she'd interact with because of the Order were much more proficient at magic than she was. Nodding, she reassured McGonagall, "I'm sure I'll do just fine."

"Very well," the professor said. "Your test will be at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon."

Despite feeling ready, Ava gulped. Her first magical test was less than twenty-four hours away from now. She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of any doubts about first year Charms. "I think I'll practice each spell one more time before bed tonight and then study all day tomorrow. Until we go down to dinner, can you teach me some Transfiguration?"

"You have approximately twenty-five minutes to pick my brain, Miss McGonagall," the professor announced. "What do you wish to know?"

Ava scrambled to flip open the Transfiguration textbook to the spells she had been reading about briefly. She pouted when she realized that she had only read about one before falling asleep. "Well, I haven't read about the others yet, but I'd like to try_ Vermiculus_," Ava informed her aunt.

Professor McGonagall smiled and quickly performed the spell as an example, turning the Defense textbook into a worm. For the next twenty minutes, Ava practiced turning various objects into worms, with several mistakes and misshapen worms, but she finally managed to get it right just once before the witches were interrupted by a knock on the door. Confused, Ava looked at the door and to her aunt.

"That'll likely be Mr. Potter and Mr. Black to escort you to dinner," she clarified for Ava as she stood from her chair, causing the girl to let out a groan.

"I forgot about that," the young witch muttered before striding over to the door. Upon opening it, Ava could feel her annoyance melted away by the smiling faces of James and Sirius.

"Hi, Ava," James greeted as Sirius loudly announced, "You're escorts are here!"

Ava giggled and turned to see her aunt standing only a few feet behind her, ready to go as well. "We're ready gentlemen," Ava told them as she stepped out into the corridor.

Sirius lightly tugged on Ava's sleeve to keep her from walking ahead with her aunt and whispered, "Are you okay?"

The young witch frowned and looked at James before returning her gaze to Sirius. "What do you mean?"

Both of their jaws dropped. "What do we mean? Ava, you were in so much pain earlier that you passed out," James sputtered while gesturing with his hands.

Ava's mouth formed an "o" as she recalled their meeting earlier in the day. She tried to offer the boys a reassuring smile and replied, "Oh, yeah. I'm fine." Without waiting for a response, she continued on walking after her aunt towards the Great Hall, with James and Sirius hurrying to catch up.

"Stop doing that," Sirius grounded out irritatingly.

"Doing what?" she asked innocently.

"You know what," the Black heir grumbled.

James patted his friend on the shoulder and explained, "Ava, we just want to make sure that you really are okay. You really freaked us out earlier."

She quickly glanced at their faces and once again saw how worried they were for her. "Ugh, you make me feel so guilty with those faces," she replied, causing both boys to break into wide grins. "I haven't even done anything wrong," she pouted. Ava halted in her steps and looked at the boys with a serious expression. "Really though. I'm fine as long as I've got a pain potion, and I had one earlier when you were there. I already got scolded by Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall, so I don't need it from you guys too. I'm going to be better about taking the potion when I need it."

Seemingly satisfied with her response, Sirius wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they continued down the stairs to dinner. "So, you've got this _established_ bond with Moony—" he started.

Ava and James rolled their eyes and thankfully, James told Sirius, "C'mon, mate. Give her some time to get to know Remus on her own first."

Sirius pouted, but then smiled once again as he conspiratorially whispered, "We need a codeword for Ava to use if she needs another pain potion. What if we're in a situation in front of other people and she can't just outright say it?"

The young witch furrowed her brows in thought. Sirius had a pretty good point. Since the boys already knew about her having to take pain potions, it wouldn't hurt if they could now help her get one if she didn't happen to have one on her. Although, she had already decided to carry one with her to classes, just in case. She was pulled from her thoughts by the giggles of James and Sirius.

"What?" she asked them with narrowed eyes.

James couldn't help himself as he told her that since the pain was in response to her attachment to Remus, they had already devised some potential codewords for her, like "the moon is rising" or "feeding her furry addiction."

"A little too on the nose, boys," she retorted snidely as she walked more quickly ahead of them. She entered the Great Hall and her eyes immediately zeroed in on the Gryffindor table and located Remus. Ava took a few steadying breaths and approached the side of the table opposite from the werewolf with James and Sirius on either side of her once again. She could feel her magic practically coming alive at the sight of Remus, and she knew it was a good decision to sit across from him and not next to him. _I don't know if I'll ever be able to sit next to him_, she thought dejectedly.

"Hi, Ava," Lily greeted in a friendly voice. Ava snapped out her thoughts to return the greeting from Lily and acknowledged Remus, Peter, and Alice as well. Finding it easiest, Ava stayed quiet and merely listened in on the conversations around her as she ate her dinner. However, at some point, Lily recalled that Ava was starting classes on Monday, so she asked, "Hey, Ava. Do you know what classes you'll be in yet?" James and Sirius looked at each other over Ava's head, realizing that they should've asked her about that.

The young witch looked sheepishly at the occupants of the table and cleared her throat a little. "Well, um," she started while picking at her food nervously. "I'm, um, new to magic, remember?" She looked up to see that everyone but Remus was nodding. Instead of explaining herself, she looked down to her plate again, frowning in annoyance with herself for feeling so insecure about her magical abilities. Her back straightened as she looked up at the group of friends and stated firmly, "I'll be in first year classes, and Aunt Minerva said that I'll move up as I pass the exams for each year."

James, Alice, and Lily were all nodding their heads in understanding and Lily encouragingly said with a smile, "Well, of course. That makes the most sense. I'm sure you'll do great with Professor McGonagall as your aunt. Plus, if you ever need any help studying, then just ask."

Ava flashed her a smile in return. "Thanks, Lily."

Peter looked bewildered at the idea of Ava being in first year classes and blurted out, "That'll take you ages though, won't it?"

Ava narrowed her eyes at the pudgy boy and retorted, "I'll have you know that I've been practicing first year charms all day today, and I'm taking the exam already tomorrow. So, no. It won't take me '_ages_' to finish." She looked back down at her plate and muttered, "I'll be in seventh year by Christmas, guaranteed." Only those with werewolf and Animagus senses of hearing were able to understand what Ava grumbled to herself. Trying to cheer her up, Sirius tickled her a little in the ribs and teased, "Aw, Ava, the little firstie." Even knowing that the boy was just teasing her, Ava couldn't stop her cheeks from turning slightly pink in embarrassment. She hadn't really considered what Remus might think of her being in first year classes, but now it was all she could focus on.

Remus felt extremely awkward, but he must've missed the explanation about why Ava would be placed in first year classes. It was certainly odd for someone their age, but he could sense that she didn't want to discuss it, so he determined that it would just be best for him to ask his friends later. Feeling eyes on himself, the werewolf looked around the table to find Ava staring at him several times throughout the next few minutes of the meal. Remus assumed that she was anxiously waiting for him to ask, but he pointedly asked, "How are you settling into Hogwarts?" instead.

Ava's eyes widened upon hearing the question pop out of Remus' mouth. She didn't think that he'd care enough to ask. _Pfft, he's just being polite, Ava_, she thought to herself. "It's definitely interesting," she replied as her eyes flickered to Remus', to her plate, and back. She tightened her grip on her fork, attempting to steel her resolve. Every time that she looked at Remus, she had to physically restrain herself from reaching out towards him.

Remus flashed her a gorgeous smile and she desperately clenched her fist under the table. "What do you like best about the castle so far?" he inquired curiously.

Ava appeared to be pondering for a moment, but in reality she was rationalizing to herself why she couldn't just reach out and take his hand. "I really like the enchanted ceiling," she offered, looking up as she did so.

Unbeknownst to Ava, she provided Remus with a tantalizing view of her neck and collar bone, causing his wolf to perk up. With his eyes roving over Ava's exposed skin, he could feel Moony pushing for him to get a closer look. With that thought, he shook his head and noticed James and Sirius watching him intently. His brows furrowed as he mouthed, "What?" to them both, but they just shrugged him off. Remus looked to Ava again and saw that she was waiting with her eyebrows raised expectantly, so he quickly said, "That's always been a favorite of mine too." Ava gave him a brief smile and continued to eat her dinner. That tiny, seemingly insignificant response made Remus feel funny. He knew how being nervous around pretty girls made him feel, but it wasn't quite like that. He felt slightly nervous, but more in anticipation and excitement than anything. He scoffed internally and blamed it on his wolf, which had been acting a little off since the full moon.

Across the table, Ava was battling her own internal struggle. She could feel the magic pulsing in her chest, in time with her heartbeat, practically begging for her to touch Remus. Constantly, she was reminding herself that he knew nothing of them being soulmates and that if he wanted to be with her, then it'd be his own choice. She could feel the magic swirling inside her in defiance, so she quickly finished her dinner before it could lash out. Ava gave her goodbyes and offered to see the boys tomorrow as she stood from her seat. As she approached the door of the Great Hall, Ava groaned aloud, thinking of how difficult meal times were going to be. She let out a frustrated sigh at the idea of potentially having classes with Remus as well once she caught up to the seventh year curriculum. As soon as she exited the Great Hall, Ava spotted Professor McGonagall and was promptly offered a tour of the castle. Feeling excitement at the idea of discovering more of the magical school, Ava immediately agreed. During the tour, the young witch's worries vanished as her mind became preoccupied with meeting some of the school's ghosts (which frankly, spooked her a little because it's weird to be able to see through someone as you're speaking to them), memorizing the routes she would need to take in order to get to her classes, and attempting to wheedle information out of the professor without her knowing (like the location of a certain portrait that has a bowl of fruit or the statue of a one-eyed witch, or the easiest way to get up to the seventh floor). Of course, McGonagall gave her odd looks for those questions, but never asked Ava to explain herself.

After the tour, the two witches returned to their quarters and settled down to read some more. McGonagall cracked open the novel she was previously reading, while Ava resumed reading the Transfiguration textbook. Feeling guilty at just the idea of asking McGonagall to teach her when it was already 9 o'clock at night, Ava resolved to finish reading the chapters before bed and then have her aunt assist her with the spells tomorrow. The young witch was just about finished with the textbook when the professor announced that she was going to bed.

"I would suggest that you do the same, young lady, but I feel that would be a waste of my breath," McGonagall informed Ava.

Ava grinned at the professor and reassured her, "I won't stay up too late, I'll just practice the Charm spells for first year real quick, and then go to bed myself." McGonagall bid the girl goodnight, so Ava quickly retreated to her bedroom as well.

However, the young witch simply couldn't help herself. Once she finished practicing the Charms for first year, she decided to read the second year textbook out of curiosity. Unable to exercise some self-control, Ava was up into the wee hours of the morning practicing second year Charms. She was able to test herself with _Colloportus_ fairly easily since she had mastered _Alohomora_. For about thirty minutes, she continuously locked and unlocked her bedroom door. When Ava got to attempting to cast _Impervious_, _Scourgify_, _Tergeo_, she encountered a little problem. She realized she had nothing that she was willing to stain or any liquid to stain something with in the first place. After pondering on this conundrum for a few minutes, Avalynn excitedly called for Flopsy. Even though the tiny house elf admonished the young witch for still being awake, she managed to procure a rag and a glass of chocolate milk for Ava. She remembered to thank the elf with a bright smile before the little creature left. Now that Ava had materials to work with, she decided to use _Scourgify_ and _Tergeo_ first upon realizing that if she cast _Impervious_ on the rag first, she'd never be able to practice the other two spells considering that she didn't know how to reverse an Impervious spell. Ava had no idea what time it was, but it had been pitch black dark outside for several hours when she finally collapsed into her bed, magically drained. Briefly remembering that McGonagall had said to have a snack, she tiredly called out for Flopsy once more.

The little elf gasped rather dramatically when she appeared in Ava's room. "Young missus is meant to be in bed!" Flopsy exclaimed.

Ava rolled her eyes and politely asked for an apple, to which the elf responded, "Only if yous get into bed right after, Missus McGonagall."

For a couple of seconds, Ava gaped at the strict little elf. However, Flopsy did not look to be backing down anytime soon, and she was ready for sleep as it was anyway. "I promise, Flopsy," Ava told the elf who was standing with her tiny hands on her hips. After a stern nod from the elf, an apple appeared in front of Ava, on her nightstand. Giving Flopsy a quick smile, the young witch chomped into her snack with gusto. She was starving and exhausted, and just wanted to be asleep as soon as possible. Soon enough, Ava demolished her apple, got ready for bed, and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

Sunday morning for Avalynn began with an ungodly wake-up call by her Aunt Minerva, which included the professor continually flinging pillows at the young girl until she awoke, bleary-eyed from her late night. A pillow directly to the face forced Ava to fully wake up with a shout. "What is happening?" she yelled frantically, eyes wildly searching the room.

McGonagall was laughing and still tossing pillows at Ava from the door, using her wand. "You're a witch, Avalynn. Stop the pillows yourself," the professor said while chuckling.

Ava groaned and fumbled for her wand on the nightstand and attempted to cast _Immobulus_ on a pillow, once again, aimed for her head. Clearly, she was not awake or concentrating hard enough because the pillow didn't stop moving and managed to smack her in the face. Fueled by the laughter coming from the supposedly professional teacher across the room, Ava narrowed her eyes at the next incoming pillow and shouted, "_Immobulus_!" Fortunately, the pillow froze in place and the onslaught of pillows ceased. Peeking around the pillow, Ava glared at her aunt, causing more laughter from the professor.

"Well, that was _rude_, Aunt Minerva," she chided the older witch, but before McGonagall could respond, Ava leapt out of the bed and fist pumped with her Blackthorn wand in her hand and happily cried out, "I learned more spells last night!"

The professor raised one eyebrow and stated, "I believe you mean this _morning_, young lady."

Ava's expression turned sheepish before asking, "Is _that_ what the pillows were for?" in an incredulous voice. McGonagall sent her a look that caused Ava to tell her, "Alright. I won't stay up that late again. I just got too excited."

Her aunt tutted and said, "I'm sure you have more late nights ahead of you, but no staying up late when you've got classes the next day." Ava nodded in agreement and shooed her aunt out of the room so she could get dressed.

Wearing jeans and a t-shirt, Ava stepped out into their living area with her wand in hand. "I really did learn spells last night, Aunt Minerva. I've completed second year Charms," she told the professor with a wide grin while she bounced a little on her toes.

McGonagall's eyebrows were practically lifted off of her face, such was her shock at Ava's declaration. "Good Godric, lass. Have you really?" she asked, astounded.

Ava bit her lip and nodded. She immediately turned around to her bedroom and cast _Colloportus_, and then _Alohomora_ for fun. Then she bounced over to the table where the professor had poured two cups of tea, and she dramatically "spilled" her tea in slow-motion. McGonagall rolled her eyes at her niece's antics, but watched in awe as Ava cleaned it up with a _Tergeo_ and _Scourgify_. The young witch then cast _Impervious_ on the chair and gleefully tossed the professor's tea cup onto it. She was rather proud of herself until she realized that the tea was rolling off of the chair and dripping onto the floor. Slightly embarrassed, Ava moved to clean it up, but McGonagall had already done it for her.

"Well, Ava, there is no doubt that you are a quick learner," her aunt said. "I'm fairly surprised at the rate of your progress though. It's rather quick. Although, I've never heard of case in which a person only began to learn magic at your age. This could be normal for all we know. However, I'd still like you to limit the amount of spells you practice every day until you've built up enough stamina." Recalling how drained she felt the night and afternoon before, Ava nodded in understanding. "Breakfast is almost finished in the Great Hall, would you like to join me?" McGonagall asked.

Considering that Ava had her Charms exam that afternoon and she felt behind enough as it was, she shook her head and explained, "I'd rather stay here and eat, so I can study for the test later. Also, I'm ready to learn more Transfiguration whenever you have time to help me."

The professor smiled fondly. "Alright. Just don't wear yourself out while I'm gone," she told Ava over her shoulder as she left their quarters.

Ava plopped down on the couch, not quite ready to eat yet, and opened up the first year Charms book. After reviewing the information for a while, her stomach grumbled, forcing her to pause and eat some breakfast. Once she had her fill of French toast, courtesy of Flopsy, Ava continued to review the material for the Charms exam. When she finally reached the end of the textbook, McGonagall had been back from breakfast for a couple of hours. Feeling up for performing some magic, Ava practiced casting the spells for the exam. When lunchtime rolled around, the professor stayed in their quarters to eat with Ava and discussed the various Transfiguration spells that they would go over. After their meal, McGonagall had set out to teach Ava how to turn various objects into beetles, caterpillars, and rats. As 3 o'clock approached, Ava decided to review Charms once more before her exam and to continue working on Transfiguration later.

The professor was once again grading papers as Ava was studying, when they heard a knock on the door. Wanting to give her brain a break, Ava dragged herself to the door, thinking that it was some student wanting to speak to her aunt. However, she answered the door to find all four of the Marauders standing there.

Flashing them a quick smile, she confusedly asked, "Hey guys, what's up?" Sirius and James returned her smile wholeheartedly, but Remus and Peter looked slightly uncomfortable, probably because they were standing in the doorway of a professor's quarters, and they seemed to be looking to James and Sirius for guidance. As the Black heir attempted to step into their quarters, Ava forced herself into the doorway and planted her arm across the open space on the opposite side of the door frame, barring anyone from entering. "Can I help you, Sirius Black?" she asked with an eyebrow raised. Immediately, James and Sirius started groaned about being bored and wanting to hang out, so the young witch put her hand up to silence them.

"I'm trying to study and I've got my first exam in like thirty minutes, so I can't be distracted right now," she informed the boys.

"What about after?" James asked, hopefully, but Ava shook her head.

"I've literally got _years_ of magic to catch up on guys," she explained, sounding overwhelmed. After hearing Ava's story from James, Remus couldn't help but sympathize. "Can't you guys go play Quidditch or something?" she asked, pleadingly.

Sirius groaned, "Ah, c'mon, Ava," and then he proceeded to give her puppy eyes.

Remus could see her resolve wavering, so he stepped up and placed his hands on James and Sirius' shoulders. "Guys, let's leave Ava alone, so she can study," he suggested gently. Appreciation flashed through Ava's eyes and it made Remus' stomach flutter. He suddenly felt the need for Ava to be happy, but brushed it off as wanting to make her feel welcome to Hogwarts. James started to protest, so Remus quickly cut him off with, "Do you really think she'll have more free time if she doesn't pass her exams?" He felt warm at the bright smile Ava sent his way. Even though now he was reluctant to leave, he pulled on Sirius and James and said, "We'll see you later, Ava."

"I'm sorry guys, but I'll see you later, alright?" she replied and then quickly shut the door, and promptly dropped herself to the ground and hugged her knees to her chest, laying her head back against the door with her eyes shut.

"Ava? Are you alright?" McGonagall asked, worriedly.

The young witch sighed and asked, "Honestly?" before opening her eyes and looking to her aunt. The professor nodded, so Ava continued, "It's incredibly difficult to be around Remus. My magic, or the spell, or whatever, keeps wanting me to touch him. His hand, or arm, or face, or _whatever_, really. I'd like to be around him more, but at the same time, I'm desperate to stay away from him." She sighed dejectedly once more.

Her aunt frowned and responded, "I'm so sorry, dear, but I don't have any personal experience with this. I can imagine it's quite challenging for you. The best I can tell you is to keep taking the pain potions as needed to not cause yourself any further pain, but maybe you could try to get to know Mr. Lupin." At a hard look from Ava, the professor added, "I don't mean as a purely romantic interest, but as a friend. He seems to be quite a good friend, and there's no harm in having friends, Ava. You also might find it easier to be in Mr. Lupin's presence with practice, I don't know. You also have your studies to focus on, as well as looking for more information about finding you a way back to your world. However, that is merely my opinion. You do as you wish."

Ava nodded, taking in everything McGonagall had said. "I really don't think it'll help being around Remus _more_," she thought aloud, "But I do need to focus more on learning magic, especially if I'm wanting to help the Order."

The older witch frowned in concern. She wasn't sure how she felt about Ava getting involved in the Order. She was much too young. Noticing the time, she mentioned, "It's almost three o'clock, dear. Would you like to review any further? Or postpone the exam?"

Her niece looked at her with wide eyes. "Um, no," she said, confusedly. "I don't care what's going on with Remus," she told McGonagall as she shook her head, "I'm taking that exam because I'm ready for it. I want to be in second year Charms tomorrow. Depending on how this exam goes, I'd like to take the exam for second year tomorrow too."

The professor nodded silently and flicked her wand about a couple of times, transfiguring a desk for Ava to sit at, complete with parchment, a quill, and ink bottle. The young witch stared at it in awe for a moment before quickly turning to her aunt and bluntly saying, "I don't know how to use a quill."

McGonagall pursed her lips together in slight embarrassment and annoyance at herself. Of course, Ava wouldn't have ever used a quill and ink before. "I'd like for you to try, dear. You'll need to get used to it anyhow." Ava nodded and sat down at the desk and looked up at her aunt expectantly. "Ready for the exam?" the professor asked.

"Yes, please. I'd like to get this over with," Ava muttered. Suddenly, several pieces of parchment appeared in front of the girl, peppered with multiple choice and essay questions. She took a deep breath and got started. A little over an hour later, Ava exclaimed, "I can't! Just take it!" as she stood from her desk abruptly. She held out the test papers for McGonagall to take and stated, "I've reviewed this three times already, and I'll just keep going until I drive myself crazy, just take it."

The professor huffed a laugh and asked her niece to wait patiently while she graded the exam. A while later, McGonagall cleared her throat, signaling she was done, and Ava paused in her reading of the Transfiguration textbook. She wanted to be extra diligent with that subject since it was the one that her aunt taught, and the rest of the school would know that too. "Lay it on me," Ava said as squeezed her eyes shut and crossed her fingers.

Her aunt smiled slowly and said, "You passed with flying colors, my dear."

Ava peeked one eye open and asked a shocked, "Really?" She grinned broadly at McGonagall once she realized that the professor wasn't joking.

"Yes," the professor confirmed. "However, you'll need to perform the practical portion as well. So just perform each spell for me as I ask you to, and you'll be finished."

Ava let out a relieved breath. She knew that she could cast the spells, so that was no worry. Once she was done with the practical part of the exam, Ava asked McGonagall to continue assisting her with performing the Transfiguration spells for first year. Once they finished a couple of hours later, the professor asked Ava when she thought that she'd be ready for the first year Transfiguration exam. To say that the young with was shocked would be an understatement. "You truly believe that I'm ready for that?" she asked McGonagall, baffled.

The older witch rolled her eyes and replied, "I wouldn't have asked you, if I didn't believe you could do it, Ava. However, you are cramming so much information into your mind right now, and this is not knowledge that you can learn and then forget. Magical skills all build upon one another, so your future studies will come more easily to you if you genuinely learn the foundational material first. Therefore, I would like for you to take your Charms exam Wednesday and attend the second year classes on Monday and Tuesday to see how you fair. I would also like for you to attend the first year Transfiguration classes all this week and then take the exam on Friday. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

Of course, Ava's immediate reaction was to groan and pout about how she could take both exams tomorrow and be done with it, but deep down, she knew that the professor was right. She wanted to work quickly through the curriculum, but not at such a breakneck pace that she wouldn't be able to recall a second year charm in a sixth year class, or when a simple spell might really matter. So, she responded with, "Yes, I'll agree to that."

McGonagall nodded once and stood from the chair behind her desk. "In case you didn't notice, it's already time for dinner. I will be heading down to the Great Hall. Am I right to assume that you will be taking your meal here and studying more?" the professor asked, with a knowing smile. The girl's thirst for learning was rather endearing.

"Yeah, I'd rather eat up here and get some more studying in. Do you know when I'll be doing my tutoring lessons?" Ava replied.

"I'm actually going to approach Mr. Black and Mr. Snape about their respective responsibilities tonight, so I will ask Mr. Shacklebolt as well. I'm sure once they've looked over their schedules, they'll let me or you know of a time and place to meet. No need to fret, dear."

Ava nodded and her expression turned serious. She definitely needed to study up on Potions if she wanted to get on Snape's good side. After her aunt left for the Great Hall, Ava cracked open the first year Potions textbook and familiarized herself with the different types of cauldrons and glass containers used in potion making, the twelve uses of dragons blood, and some of the first year ingredients before calling out for Flopsy and politely asking for her to make up a plate of whatever food they were having in the Great Hall. Moving to the small dining table in the kitchen, Ava cast an _Impervious_ charm on her Potions textbook so that she wouldn't accidentally get food or anything on it while she ate. Soon, McGonagall returned and the young witch joined her in the living area to continue reading about Potions. She actually found it quite interesting to learn the different ways that ingredients would interact with each other and it made her more than a little bit nervous that a potion could be ruined by adding just a smidgen too much or too little of an ingredient. Eventually, the older witch announced that she was going to bed and that Ava needed to as well, and the young girl didn't complain since she was falling asleep with the Potions textbook on her face as she laid on the sofa.

Throughout the night, Ava had a restless sleep filled with tossing and turning, unable to stop thinking about her first day of magical school. Later, she would recall this fitful night as humorous considering that only a few days ago she was in her twenties and had been out of school for years. Towards the end of a nightmare, Ava bolted upright in her bed, sweating profusely at the anxiety filled dream wherein she forgot to bring her wand to class and everyone laughed at her. However, as she sat in the dark bedroom, panting and wiping sweat from her forehead, she recognized the ache in her chest. _Time for another potion_, she groaned internally. She scurried out of bed and left her room to gently knock on Professor McGonagall's door.

Unsure if her aunt would hear her, Ava slowly opened the bedroom door and whispered, "Aunt Minerva?" The professor sleepily sat up in her bed, so Ava quietly said, "I need a pain potion."

McGonagall's eyes widened and in a flash, she jumped out of the bed and righted her nightgown. Quickly, she grabbed a small glass vial from her bureau for Ava and softly said, "I'm glad that you told me you needed one." Ava gave her a slight smile before she gulped down the potion and felt the painful sensation in her chest dissipate.

"Thank you. Goodnight," the young witch whispered as she turned to go back to bed. The professor wished her a good night as well, but Ava wasn't sure that she'd actually be able to go back to sleep. She couldn't help but worry about attending classes the next day. It was always awkward being the new kid, but Ava was also going to be sixteen in a class full of twelve and thirteen year olds. Sighing to herself, Ava grabbed her History of Magic textbook for first year, hoping that if Professor Binns can make people fall asleep, then maybe the subject material could too. And sure enough, whether due to magical exhaustion from all the spells she had performed that day, or her choice in reading material, Avalynn was soon fast asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
I want to thank everyone that has left a review or kudos. It's very encouraging :)
> 
> I'm curious to know what you guys think of how I'm writing the different perspectives. Do you like seeing what different characters are thinking? Is it jarring while you're reading or does it flow nicely?
> 
> Virtual high-five for you if you catch the Good Omens and AVPM references :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 11**

Monday morning found Avalynn filled with dread and anxiety. As soon as she was conscious enough to realize it was the next day, Ava bolted upright in her bed and instantly wished that she could go back to sleep and not face the students and professors in her classes. A slight sweat broke out across her forehead as she got dressed for the day, and she was just about to give up trying to put on her maroon and gold tie when Professor McGonagall knocked at the door before coming in. Looking at her aunt through the floor-length mirror she was standing in front of, Ava let out a huff of frustration before asking, "Can you _please_ help me with this thing?" She wiped sweat from her eyebrows and upper lip and flung her arms down to her sides in defeat. Silently, the professor approached and flicked her wand, causing Ava's tie to shape itself appropriately and settle down on top of her white button-down uniform shirt.

"You look very nice, dear," McGonagall stated. She frowned slightly when she saw Ava wipe sweat off of her face once more. "Are you feeling well?" she asked with concern lacing her voice.

The young witch let out a tired sigh and explained, "I'm just nervous about it being my first day of classes when everyone else has already been here for a while, and I know it's weird for an older student to be in the younger classes."

The professor clicked her tongue while shaking her head. "You may be in an unusual situation, but no one should single you out for it." Her eyes hardened as she added, "And you let me know if they do." McGonagall quickly waved her wand and Ava felt a cool wind blow over her body. It seemed to settle around her because she could distinctly feel her body temperature drop to a more comfortable degree.

Ava gave her aunt a soft smile and questioned, "Was that a Cooling Charm?"

McGonagall nodded and she headed back out to the living area of their quarters with Ava following her. She saw that the professor was holding a chart of some sort before it was handed to her. Ava's eyes widened and she smiled slightly when she realized that she was looking at her class schedule. _For this week, at least_, she thought, hoping that she could master the lower classes fairly quick.

"Read over your classes for today and be sure to have the required supplies with you," McGonagall told her.

Seeing that she would have Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions that day, Ava hurriedly packed up her bag with the textbooks, as well as blank pieces of parchment, quills, and her bottle of ink. Once the young witch was ready to leave, both women headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ava felt as though she was being herded towards her doom, and she began to feel anxious once again. The Cooling Charm must've worn off because she could feel her face heating up again. The closer the two witches got to the Great Hall, the more nauseous Ava felt. She couldn't even think about eating anything right now. As they descended the last few stairs to the Main Entrance, McGonagall placed her hand on Ava's shoulder and squeezed gently, reassuring her, "You'll do just fine today, Ava. I have faith in you."

Ava tried to flash her a smile, but she was fairly certain it came out as a grimace. The professor departed from Ava's side to sit at the Head Table, leaving her niece to approach the Gryffindor table on her own. As she was walking towards her house's table, Ava's gaze roamed over the hall, checking to see if everyone's eyes were on her since it felt as though they were. She let out a relieved sigh when she quickly realized the feeling was just in her head and due to her nerves. However, she was nearly to her seat when her eyes connected with a pair of gray ones from the Slytherin table. Regulus gave her a quick smile, which did little to settle her nerves since she noticed that Severus Snape, who was sitting next to Regulus, was also staring at her. He was giving Ava a blank stare and she had no idea what to make of it. Feeling self-conscious, she ducked her head and rapidly took her seat, across the table from Alice, Frank, and Lily. Even though the three Gryffindors greeted her pleasantly, Ava's stomach was roiling just thinking about how the two Slytherin boys took the news that they were to tutor her.

Noticing that Avalynn hadn't gotten any food for herself, Frank offered her the basket of toast as Lily reminded her with a friendly smile, "Just think of the drink you want, and it'll appear, remember?"

Unable to fathom eating anything at the moment, Ava just nodded and took a piece of toast as water appeared in her cup. She set the piece of toast on her plate, hoping that the others wouldn't pay close enough attention to see that she had no intention of eating it. Thankfully, just a minute later the Marauders appeared, and Ava could feel her anxiety lighten a little bit as Sirius and James took their spots on either side of her. As she looked across the table, just the sight of Remus helped douse the extreme nausea Ava was experiencing. _Well, that's damn useful_, she thought with an internal giggle as she likened Remus to ginger ale to help settle her stomach. After the rounds of greetings from everyone, Ava attempted to fade into the background as she slowly pulled off a tiny piece of crust from her toast.

Remus was hoping to talk more with Avalynn and get to know her a little better. However, he was distracted from that line of thinking as he noticed that she was barely even nibbling on her food. There was only a small bit of her toast missing since they had sat down almost ten minutes ago, and knowing that there were only a few more minutes of breakfast, he wanted to make sure she was able to eat enough before classes. He looked over Ava's face and was concerned to see that she was paler than usual. "Ava, are you alright?" he asked.

Ava's head snapped up to see Remus looking at her with genuine concern in his eyes, but the brief flicker of hope that his look gave her was diminished by the fact that everyone within hearing distance was now staring at her. Even students that she hadn't met yet were looking at her, and Ava could feel her face reddening. She couldn't stand having all of the attention on her most days since it made her uncomfortable, but on today of all days, this was the worst thing that she could imagine. _I need to get out of here_. Dropping her toast with a shaky hand, Ava snapped, "I'm fine." She quickly stood, pulling her school bag off the bench with her, and practically stomped towards the exit of the Great Hall, deciding to just wait outside her first class.

The boys, especially Remus, were flummoxed about Ava's behavior, and were debating possible theories until Lily overhead them mention it being Ava's "time of the month." The red-head rolled her eyes and explained, "You're being ridiculous. She's probably just nervous about her first day of classes."

The faces of Sirius, James, and Remus all dropped once they realized that they had forgotten. Remus felt that he acted inconsiderately as someone who was trying to make Ava feel welcome at Hogwarts, even though a part of him knew that there wasn't a reason for him to feel so bereft about her departure. Sirius and James gave each other a long look and shoveled down the rest of their meals. As they stood, James told his friends, "We'll catch up with you guys before class. We're gonna check on Ava real quick." They left faster than Remus could realize that he wanted to find Ava with them. He shook his head and rationalized that he didn't know the new witch as well as James and Sirius did, and that she probably wouldn't want to see the werewolf that must've frightened her upon arrival to the school.

James and Sirius stopped abruptly outside of the Great Hall, trying to brainstorm where Ava could've gotten off to. "Probably her first class," Sirius offered. "She wouldn't want to be late."

James nodded, then frowned as he asked, "What's her first class?"

"How am I supposed to know, Prongs?" Sirius sputtered incredulously. Then he rolled his eyes. "Of course." Looking around quickly to see if anyone could overhear him, he whispered, "The map."

James scrambled to pull the map out of his bag as he and Sirius moved over to the edge of the room so that any students going in or out of the Great Hall hopefully wouldn't pay them any attention. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he muttered. Roving over the map as quickly as possible, his hazel eyes found Avalynn's name. "Oh, no," James breathed out.

"What?" Sirius asked worriedly, but as his own eyes located Ava's name, he didn't need James to respond. According to the map, which never lies, Severus Snape and Regulus Black were standing awfully close to Ava in an otherwise empty corridor.

* * *

Avalynn was anxiously pacing in front of the Charms classroom, muttering to herself about her behavior in the Great Hall when a throat clearing caught her attention. She looked up to see Regulus and Severus Snape standing a few feet away from her. Reluctantly, she stopped pacing to be polite as she greeted, "Hello." She walked up to the Slytherins, taking deep breaths to calm down, but her nervous energy won out, causing her hands to tremble slightly. Ava crossed her arms, tucking her hands away in an attempt to hide them.

The boys noticed, but neither of them had much of a reaction other than Regulus raising one brow and asking, "Nervous?"

Irritated, Ava condescendingly smiled at him and replied, "You think?"

He laughed good-naturedly and said, "I'm sure you'll do just fine Miss McGonagall, especially with myself and Severus as tutors."

Ava's mouth formed an "O" as she looked back and forth between the boys' faces, unable to tell how they thought about tutoring her. "Is that alright?" she asked with a slight cringe.

Regulus just laughed lightly once more and explained, "Well, I am going to be receiving extra credit in Astronomy for doing such." He then tilted his head towards his friend and added, "Merlin knows Severus here doesn't need any help in Potions, but McGonagall presented it as a challenge of his knowledge. 'If you know the material well enough Mr. Snape, then teaching it should come naturally.'" He gave Ava a smile when he finished, making her feel a little better about asking for the two Slytherins as her tutors.

"Indeed," Severus agreed with one brow raised, speaking for the first time since approaching Ava. She looked at him startled. Such a deep voice and serious expression on a seventeen-year-old was hilarious and she was trying very hard not to laugh. Her lips thinned as she pressed them together and nodded once. Taking a deep breath, both to not laugh and to try and calm down a bit, Ava told them, "Listen, I'm sorry if it's inconvenient for you, but I sort of demanded you two as my tutors, so Aunt Minerva, I mean Professor McGonagall, isn't entirely to blame."

This time, neither boy could keep their masks in place, revealing genuine surprise on their faces. Before either of them could ask Ava to clarify though, all three of their heads turned towards the end of the corridor as "Oi! Get away from her!" was shouted.

Rolling her eyes, Ava stepped out from behind Regulus and Severus and mumbled, "I am _so_ sorry about them. They're incredibly rude," as she planted herself in front of the two Slytherins. Before James and Sirius could come any closer, Ava raised her voice and sternly said, "If either of you has your wand out, you had better put it away right now!" The two Marauders hesitated for a split second, but continued marching down the corridor. "I mean it, James Charlus Potter and Sirius Orion Black. You put your wands away before you get over here!"

Upon hearing their full names yelled at them, the Gryffindors resentfully stowed their wands away in their robes, but their expressions stayed stormy. They were nearly in front of the Charms classroom when Ava turned to the Slytherins and said, "Give me a moment, please," and flashed them a quick smile before taking a few long strides to meet James and Sirius.

"Can I help you boys?" she asked innocently.

James was frowning deeply while Sirius appeared near apoplectic, so she held up a hand. "Please, stop for a moment and _think_. Do they have their wands out?" The boys glanced over her shoulders to see that the Slytherins, in fact, did _not_ have their wands out. "Do I appear to be in any sort of distress?" Ava gestured to her face and down her robes. "Nope. Now, consider one other thing," and she leaned in close to whisper, "You don't get to tell me what to do or who I can talk to." She backed up a step and added, "Next time, I'm smacking you on the head. I can take care of myself, thank you. Let me politely say goodbye to my acquaintances here, and I'll get back to you." She gave James and Sirius a look which she was hoping conveyed that she was going to be very displeased with them if they continued to stomp over to where she was standing with Regulus and Severus.

The Slytherins had unreadable looks on their faces as Ava returned, but she could detect the trace of a smile when Regulus spoke. "I don't think I've ever seen my brother actually listen to reason before, you know."

Ava smiled and explained, "They just need to learn some manners."

"Good luck with that," Severus sneered.

Deciding to ignore that comment, Ava said, "I wanted to tell you thank you for accepting the tutoring positions and that I'm excited to start learning."

Regulus seemed to be waiting for Severus to say something, but he just pursed his lips and then informed Ava, "I don't think it's on your timetable, but I'll be meeting with you tomorrow and Severus will be meeting with you this afternoon in the library, it's probably listed as a free period for you. I'll owl you about a time and place for our tutoring session later."

Ava smiled in excitement. _I'm going to be learning magic!_ she thought. "Thank you!" she replied a little loudly.

"See you later, Miss McGonagall," Regulus told her with a small smile before grabbing a hold of Severus' arm and turning him towards the end of the corridor opposite James and Sirius.

As soon as the Slytherins disappeared around the corner, Ava's vision was filled with the reddened faces of James and Sirius and their angry words. She tuned out both boys as she massaged her temples and muttered, "I can't deal with this right now."

The boys quieted and then James asked, "Deal with what?"

Ava looked at the genuine confusion on their faces and rolled her eyes. "Boys, I'm talking about you." She laughed at their affronted expressions and explained, "I'm the _new kid_ guys. The _only_ new kid. And I don't know magic." Her voice dropped a little as she said, "I'm nervous and actually a little scared. What if I can't do it? What if I blow someone up or something?" Laughter caused Ava to whip her head up. Both James and Sirius were laughing at her. She reached out and smacked them both as hard as she could on the arms.

The resulting "Ouch!" and "Hey!" were enough to make Ava feel better. She smiled and said, "And that's what you get. Do I need to send Mrs. Potter a letter about her boys not taking good care of me?" Ava was just joking, but she felt guilty creep in as their expressions dropped. "I'm only kidding, guys."

Sirius put his hands on both of Ava's shoulders and shook his head. "No, you're right Ava. We're here for you, and you're going to do great. Don't worry about it."

James placed his hands atop of Sirius' on her shoulders and echoed, "Yeah, Ava. Whatever you need."

Unable to keep from smiling, she responded in a playful tone, "Anything?"

James took his hands from her shoulders and placed them over his heart as he bent down on one knee and exclaimed, "Anything for you, Queen Ava."

Joining in, Sirius released Ava's shoulders and grasped one hand between both of his as he also bent down to the floor. "Indeed, your Majesty. Name it! And Sir Padfoot and Sir Prongs will find it!"

The boys were able to maintain their composure, but Ava couldn't hold in her laughter, causing James and Sirius to let out theirs as well. The young girl pulled up her long-haired knight and wrapped him up in a tight hug. After a quick release, she launched herself at James and gave him the same treatment. "Thank you, guys. I needed that laugh." She walked over to the closed Charms classroom door and picked up her satchel that was on the floor.

Much more calmly than before, James asked, "So what were those two snakes talking to you about, Ava?"

The young witch sighed, knowing that the boys would react poorly. "They're going to be two of my tutors," she muttered quickly before closing her eyes and feeling her whole body tense in anticipation. Not hearing anything, Ava slowly peeked her eyes open to see James and Sirius furiously whispering to each other. They glanced at her briefly before turning back to one another. She huffed and crossed her arms. "So, what's the verdict boys?" she questioned in an annoyed tone.

The two Marauders faced Ava and James explained, "We accept them as your tutors as long as you allow us to accompany you."

Ava's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?" she hissed angrily.

James took a step back, but Sirius stood his ground. "You might not like it, Ava, but we're trying to protect you. It's for your own good."

Her eyes flashed as she turned her glare on the other boy. "I happen to know what's for my own good, Sirius Black. That's twice in one day that you guys have tried to tell me what to do. Regulus and Snape are going to be my tutors and I'll be attending those sessions _alone_. We'll be in the library anyhow. It's not like either of them would try anything," she told the boys.

Sirius scoffed. "You may know some things, Ava, but we grew up with those twats. Good thing the library is open to all students that would like to study, eh, James?" he asked confidently with his arms crossed.

Ava pouted at him and stomped over to the wall to wait by the Charms classroom door. She was pointedly looking away from Sirius and James for the next minute as second year students began to arrive. She could hear whispers around her wondering about her presence, so she tried to block them out by reciting second year charms in her head. Thankfully, James and Sirius quickly gave up on trying to get her attention since they needed to get to class themselves. Ava huffed out an annoyed sigh and tried to dispel all angry thoughts from her head. Y_ou're about to go into Charms class, Ava. A MAGICAL class!_ she thought with a smile. _You already know the material, this is just review._ Soon enough, Professor Flitwick opened the door and the students piled into the classroom. Ava stopped at the door to greet her teacher. "Hi, Professor Flitwick, I'm Ava McGonagall."

"It's great to meet you, Miss McGonagall. Your aunt has told me that you've already mastered second year charms, but that you'll be attending class the next few days with the second year students," the short professor replied. Ava nodded and Flitwick motioned for her to take one of the empty seats. Fortunately for Ava, the professor captured the attention of the class and immediately moved onto the lesson for the day. She was worried that everyone's attention would be drawn to her, but since they were more focused on accomplishing the new spell, they paid her little attention. The only time that Ava felt self-conscious was while Flitwick was making his rounds around the classroom to see if any students needed individual help. She was lazily tossing her rubber ball into the air and casting _Immobulus_ when the professor loudly exclaimed his praise for her and awarded her house points. Her class was made up of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, so she got smiles and approving looks from at least half of the class. As Flitwick moved on, Ava could hear one of the Hufflepuffs attempting to quietly ask her neighbor, "Why is she in _here_? Shouldn't she be with the other seventh years?" The girl's friend scolded her for being so nosy and gasped softly when she looked up to see that Ava had overheard their conversation.

The two little witches looked petrified, so Ava gave them a quick smile and said, "It's alright. I know it's different. You know that I'm Professor McGonagall's niece?" When the two girls nodded, she continued, "Well, I grew up in the Muggle world, so I've got to catch up on learning magic."

Both of the girls nodded as if that made all the sense in the world and Ava could see that some of the other students around them were listening in. The curious Hufflepuff girl furrowed her brows before asking, "Why'd Professor McGonagall have to adopt you?"

At the Hufflepuff's question, the girl beside her smacked her arm and whisper shouted, "Quit being so nosy, Sarah Cunningham." She then turned to Ava with an apologetic expression.

Ava chuckled at the girls and quickly glanced around to see that she still had the attention of the others, even though they were trying their hardest to look uninterested. She figured that the school would eventually find out about her story anyway, so she might as well tell the truth. _Or some variation of it_, she added to herself. "My aunt needed to adopt me since my parents have passed away," she started to explain. She noticed the regretful look on the two girls' faces, so she quickly continued, "It's okay, you didn't know. My father died several years ago, and my mother within the past few months. My mother was a Muggle and didn't want me to grow up with magic, so that's why I'm just now attending Hogwarts."

To the other side of her, Ava could hear a Gryffindor boy scoff and mutter, "Stupid Muggles," under his breath.

She whipped her head around to glare at him. She could not let her cover story cause more prejudice against Muggles. "Young man, what's your name?" Ava asked sternly.

The boy hesitantly replied, "Matthew McLaggen."

Ava had to keep herself from laughing. Of course, the cocky little jerk would be related to McLaggen. "Well, Matthew, I want to make it clear. My mother was a good woman, but was too afraid to let me experience magic. It's that simple. She was _afraid_. Everyone feels fear at some point in their lives, both wizards and Muggles. Also, there's no reason to hold an entire race of people responsible for the actions of one. Did all of the Muggles keep me from attending Hogwarts?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "No. Just my mother. You shouldn't call all Muggles 'stupid' because I highly doubt that you've met every single one of them to know if that's true. Would it be fair of me to assume that all Hufflepuffs are too curious for their own good like Sarah over here? No offense, Sarah. Or would it be fair of me to assume that all Gryffindors speak without thinking such as yourself?"

The boys face turned red in embarrassment, but he boldly responded, "No, that wouldn't be fair."

Ava looked from him to the other students to see if they were still listening and she realized that the attention of the entire class, including Professor Flitwick, was on the conversation between herself and the boy. She was flustered and quickly apologized for interrupting the class, causing Flitwick to chuckle and award Gryffindor five points for "an insightful class discussion."

Ava let out a breath and took a peek at the students sitting closest to her. Sarah and her friend were smiling at her, while the boy, Matthew, seemed to be pouting. After a second of deliberation, he gave Ava a nod. She assumed it was to signal that he understood the point of the conversation and wasn't going to hold it against her. The rest of Charms class passed without any more questions from her classmates, so Ava had the chance to review some for Defense before heading to that class next. As Ava hurried through the corridors and up staircases to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, she passed the Marauders. She briefly made eye contact with James and Sirius before squaring her shoulders and plowing on through the crowd of students.

Once Ava arrived at the classroom, she could see that this first year class was made up of Slytherins and Gryffindors. Unlike Professor Flitwick, Professor Fell had no qualms about making Ava stand up in front of the class and introduce herself. Just to make things easier, Ava added in that she was in a class with first years because she was only just now able to learn about magic. Thankfully, Professor Fell wouldn't allow the students to ask her any personal questions and motioned for her to take a seat before continuing with a lesson on _Expelliarmus_. Ava was truly enjoying herself during the practical portion of the class when the students were paired off to practice casting on one another. Ava couldn't cast properly her first go around, but neither could her Slytherin partner. On the third try, Ava could see the Slytherin's wand twitch in his hand, and on the fourth try, she successfully cast the spell, causing his wand to launch into her hand. Not wanting to seem like she was gloating, Ava quickly walked over to give the boy back his wand. This time, she felt her wand wobble in her hand. "You almost got it!" she yelled excitedly. The boy was trying to hide his smile, but couldn't any longer when Ava told him to try again and he successfully caught her wand midair. When he handed her Blackthorn back, Ava held up her hand for a high-five. The little Slytherin boy looked at her hand confusedly and flicked his gaze to hers. She wasn't sure if this was a cultural misstep or if it was a house thing. She softly asked, "Do you know what a high-five is?" The boy nodded, but still looked confused. _Ah, so it's a house thing_. "Well, go on then," she encouraged him. "You earned it." He looked around the room briefly before smacking her hand so fast that Ava wasn't sure it had happened. She laughed quietly to herself as they repositioned themselves to continue practicing. Both Ava and the boy were able to disarm each other a handful of more times, and each time, Ava gave the kid a high-five. By the end of the lesson, he was grinning and enthusiastically jumping into the high-five. She quickly asked the kid his name before he ran off to rejoin his Slytherin friends when the class was over. "Benedict Smith," he told her. To be honest, Avalynn was quite relieved to not recognize his name.

* * *

_Finally!_ Ava thought as she dropped into her seat at the Gryffindor table. Since she skimped out on breakfast, she was absolutely famished. Her nerves had completely gone away after telling some of her story in Charms and then dueling in Defense. Although, she didn't really think it was fair to call it dueling when the pairs just took turns disarming each other. Looking over her class schedule, Ava saw that she had a free period after Potions that afternoon, so she assumed that would be when she should meet up with Snape in the library. She hurriedly ate a sandwich and was working on some potato chips and chocolate covered pretzels when the seventh years arrived to the table. Ava could feel James and Sirius hovering behind her, debating whether or not they should sit down. Taking pity on them, she wordlessly grabbed their robes and tugged them downward. However, determined to still give them the silent treatment, she ignored their whispers and continued to eat until Lily asked her how the classes went. She briefly discussed how Flitwick seemed fairly enthusiastic while Professor Fell appeared more reserved. Frank laughed lightly and said, "You just wait until to get to the upper years' classes. She loves dueling. She's probably like that for the younger students because they can't do much yet." Ava merely nodded and continued eating for a couple minutes while James and Sirius took turns attempting to gain her attention by clearing their throats or accidentally brushing against her. When it became too much, she stood saying, "Well, I've got Potions and then tutoring later. See you guys." She looked at Sirius and James pointedly while she mentioned her tutoring session, hoping it would drill into their brains that she didn't need them there as "protection" or whatever else they would claim.

Remus had heard from his friends about Ava's tutors, and it was clear that she was still upset about their reactions to the news. He had planned on trying to talk with her some during lunch since they didn't have any classes together, but he definitely didn't want to draw her ire. He resolved to speak to Ava another day with an internal sigh as she got fed up with James and Sirius' feeble attempts to catch her attention.

Amidst her internal frustration with Sirius and James, Ava realized that she hadn't packed herself a pain potion that morning, just in case she needed one. Thinking now would be better than never, she quickly darted up to her quarters, having gotten the password from McGonagall that morning: Maine Coon. She rushed into her aunt's bedroom and swiped another glass vial of the pain potion from the few that were left. By the time she reached the dungeons, Ava was nearly out of breath from power walking to get to class on time. Taking a look around the Potions' classroom, she saw that it was the same group of first-year Gryffindors and Slytherins from her Defense class. Her eyes quickly scanned the work tables to see if the kid, Benedict Smith, needed a partner. She saw that he was indeed sitting alone, but chatting animatedly to the Slytherins sitting behind him. Ava realized that she couldn't just cling to the first "friends" she made, so she started to seat herself at a table with a lone Gryffindor when Benedict caught her eye. He gave her a subtle smile and raised his eyebrows before looking pointedly at the empty seat besides himself. Ava chuckled before approaching his table.

"Hello, again, Benedict," she greeted politely. She turned to the others sitting behind him and asked, "Who are your friends here?"

Poor Benedict looked startled at forgetting his manners and quickly gave introductions between the two first year Slytherins, whom Ava also didn't recognize, and the mixed-matched older Gryffindor. Before Ava could explain how she wasn't really in a particular year per se, Slughorn called the class to attention. Of course, Ava should've known that Slughorn would make her stand in front of the class to introduce herself, which she fortunately got out of by mentioning it was the same set of students as her Defense class before lunch, but he also added some pressure to her nagging worry about her academic performance since she was a McGonagall. "Great with Transfiguration and Charms, those McGonagalls!"

The class was fairly uneventful since they hadn't started brewing anything yet. Ava found out that they had already covered the material that she had previously read, like the different types of cauldrons or the twelve uses for dragon's blood, but they were going to start learning how to properly prepare the potion ingredients they were going to use that year. All the lesson consisted of was taking notes on how precisely to cut, grind, slice, etc. each ingredient. Needless to say, Ava was disappointed even though she understood that the students needed to have knowledge of everything that would go into a potion before they would begin brewing potions. She quickly noticed that Benedict took a little longer to write out his notes, so he was frequently caught off guard when Slughorn would flick his wand, erasing the board and posting up the next set of notes. Ava slyly scooted her parchment towards the boy so that he could catch up each time. He looked bewildered by the gesture the first time, but didn't say anything as his eyes darted back and forth between the papers to be sure that his notes were complete. At the end of class, he flashed her a bright smile and whispered, "Thank you," as he packed up his school bag. Ava merely returned his smile with a nod before departing the dungeons.

As Avalynn made her way to the library, her mind wandered, thinking about little Benedict and how if he were older, he could've been approached by Death Eaters. She knew that there was a chance that she could talk through things with Regulus and Snape eventually, but she really didn't know if there were any other Death Eaters that really didn't want to be one. It also crossed her mind that it wouldn't necessarily be safe to approach any others since she didn't have enough information to justify the risk. Ava couldn't help but think of Draco Malfoy and how scared he must've been. _What if there are others like him?_ she thought, causing her internal conflict to worsen. With her thoughts running a mile an hour, Ava hadn't noticed the familiar pressure in her chest returning until she was approaching the doors to the library. Deciding to take the potion sooner rather than later, she paused and dug through her satchel to locate the glass vial. Quickly, she pulled out the stopper and downed the liquid. As she was placing the bottle back into her bag, Snape startled her with a brusque, "McGonagall."

"Shit, Snape!" she exclaimed softly, holding a hand to her chest.

He simply raised a brow at her language and gestured towards the library. "Shall we?" Ava could see his eyes lingering on her hand that had returned the potion vial to her satchel, but she didn't offer up any explanation. Silently, Snape held the door open for Ava and then stalked ahead of her, seeming to have a particular destination in mind. However, she was busy taking in the library for the first time. Slowly trailing behind the Slytherin, Ava saw groups of multiple tables in the center of the room, surrounded by what looked like infinite rows of books. She truly couldn't see the far wall of the room. She even squinted trying to find it, but was interrupted by a sharp poke to her arm. "Ouch!" she cried with a pout. Rubbing the sore spot, she looked up to see Snape standing several yards away from her with an expectant look on his face and his wand in hand. Sighing, Ava hurried over to him through what appeared to be a pathway through the shelves and quietly explained, "I haven't been in here yet."

"Surely, you understand what a library is?" he mocked as he lead Ava to a table on the other side of the shelves that was part of a small grouping near large windows, allowing for natural lighting. She smiled, prompting Snape to ask in a low voice, "Something humorous, McGonagall?"

She turned to him, still smiling, and merely replied, "No. I just like reading in natural light." She settled down at the table as her tutor did and brightly added, "I think I've found a new reading spot."

Snape grimaced. "Oh, joy."

Frowning with realization, Ava told him, "I won't come here if you want to keep this place to yourself. I'm sure there are other spots in the library or castle with good natural lighting."

Taken aback by the genuine concern that she was going to upset him by sitting in a particular area of the library, Severus Snape mumbled, "It's fine." Not wanting to linger on personal topics of conversation, he stated, "My understanding is that you currently have no knowledge of Potions."

The young witch cringed and nodded before explaining, "Well, I know all the different cauldrons and tools for brewing, the twelve uses of Dragon's blood, and I know a bunch of potions and what they're supposed to do. Today, I had a Potions class and we went over how to prepare different ingredients." She went on to list the handful of ingredients they had covered that day and how to carefully prepare each.

Snape nodded with each topic she mentioned, only speaking once she had finished. "Forget nearly everything you learned today," he said firmly. Ava nodded and got out a blank sheet of parchment and dipped her quill, ready to take notes without hesitating. This girl was testing his ability to keep his cool, indifferent mask in place. He was actually expecting some resistance from her and was pleasantly surprised when she accepted his demand without blinking. He was about to begin his lecture on how to most effectively prepare the ingredients she had learned about today when his eye caught movement from behind Ava. _Those blasted Marauders_, he internally sneered as the four boys planted themselves at a table only a few over from where he and Ava were sitting.

Ava noticed that Snape's eyes were focused over her shoulder, so she slowly turned to see what had grabbed his attention. As soon as she caught sight of Sirius and James, she could feel her face reddening in anger. They made eye contact with her and waved innocently, but she knew exactly what they were doing. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Remus, but she shook her head and turned back around to face her tutor. "Those fucking _idiots_," she growled under her breath.

Severus Snape was rather startled by the venom lacing her voice, speaking of her supposed friends that way. "I thought they were your friends?" he asked curiously. Once again, he was thrown by the flashing righteous indignation her glare showed. _Well, she can certainly get angry_, he thought, hoping she wouldn't turn on him just for asking.

Ava softened her glare once she recognized that Snape was unsettled by her palpable anger. "They are, I guess. But they think I need some sort of protection from you and Regulus," she informed him. She scoffed. "As if."

Snape peered at her curiously. "You aren't afraid of the big, bad Slytherins that delve in dark magic?" he asked in a mocking voice. But truth be told, he assumed that's partially why Lily stopped being friends with him.

Ava almost laughed, but could detect a trace of hurt in Snape's questioning expression. She merely shrugged and responded with, "What are you gonna do? Murder me in the middle of the library in broad daylight? I don't think so. Besides, isn't magic only dark if your intentions are dark?" Snape's jaw slackened at her retort, but he wasn't given much time to ponder on it because she quickly added, "Can we _please_ just keep talking about Potions?" Snape narrowed his eyes at the girl in front of him. He had no idea what to think of her. "I really do want to learn. I'm so far behind everyone else," she pleaded, causing him to suppress his questions and relent.

After only a couple minutes of Snape detailing how to properly prepare certain ingredients and Ava hastily writing down the information, a small paper airplane landed on her parchment. Frowning, she slowly picked it up and glanced up at Snape to see him sneering at the object. "It's a note," he muttered irritably. "Probably from your 'friends'."

She carefully unfolded the plane and read the message: _Are you doing alright? Need us to come over with an excuse and get you away from the greasy git?_ Ava aggressively crumpled the paper in her fist. "Those assholes," she grounded out between clenched teeth. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she thought aloud to herself, "I'm _not_ going to lose my shit. I'm _not_ going to lose my shit in the library, and get kicked out." Hearing a muffled chuckle, she opened her eyes to see Snape smirking with amusement dancing in his dark eyes. "Something funny, Snape?" she asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

He merely said, "Indeed," with his smirk still in place. He found her frustration with the Marauders quite amusing. _This witch might not know a lot of magic yet, but when she does, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of her anger_, he thought.

Ava couldn't help but grin at his deep "_Indeed_." She thought for a moment and leaned forward, whispering, "Could you set the note on fire?" Unsure of what Ava was getting at, he nodded slowly. "Good, could we make it look like I did it though?" His smirk returned full force as he understood what she was thinking. Ava let lose a maniacal grin of her own.

* * *

About twenty feet or so away from the Potions tutor and his student, Remus Lupin was attempting to complete his Ancient Runes homework. Attempting, being the key word. James and Sirius just couldn't let the fact that Ava was unbothered by Snape go. Since they couldn't stand him, they expected everyone else to not be able to either. Honestly, he just wanted to put the whole unpleasantness of first through fifth year behind him. Ever since Lily stopped hanging out with Snape, James toned down the desire to bully him, but it's obvious he hasn't let go of his negative feelings towards the Slytherin. _Sirius and Peter just egg him on too_, he thought with an internal sigh. He peeked up from his textbook to see how Avalynn would react to the flying note that Sirius decided to send over. While the young witch was faced away from them, Remus could've sworn that she was fuming mad. She leaned forward to speak to Snape briefly and then suddenly turned around to face them with the paper airplane in the palm of her hand. At first, he was confused by her bright, wide smile, but it was all rather clear once she gently tossed the note into the air and it instantaneously burst into flames as she maintained her grin while staring Sirius and James down. He shook his head and concealed his smile. Ava certain had flair, that's for sure. His two relentless friends gave audible gulps and Sirius whispered, "Well, that went down like a lead balloon." Remus frowned, confused as to how Sirius would even know what a balloon was, or lead. But before he could ask, he heard the tell-tale sound of Madame Pince approaching their section of the library. Not wanting to get thrown out of the library before Halloween even, Remus quickly told his friends to pack up and vacate the area before the strict librarian found them. When James and Sirius began to grumble protests, he hurriedly whisper shouted, "She obviously doesn't need us here, guys. She'll be fine. I'm leaving." Muttering complaints under their breath, the other boys rapidly collected their things and rushed to the exit.

* * *

The looks that overcame James and Sirius' faces would keep Avalynn laughing for days to come. The utter shock and fright was clear as day to read through their expressions. A quick glance to Remus caused a flash of warmth to spread throughout her body. He seemed to be impressed and amused by her choice. His sandy head perked up and they all left in a hurry, to her great confusion. Shaking the divergent thoughts from her head, she swiveled back around to face Snape.

"That was quite amusing, I must admit," Snape said quietly with the corners of his mouth twitching afterwards.

"Amusing?" the young witch asked in a surprised tone. "That was _awesome_!" she clarified. "Did you see their faces? Oh my God." She chuckled and shook her head when Snape gave her a genuine smile. "Can we keep going?" she asked brightly.

The Slytherin put on a show of being put-out, but he really didn't mind talking about Potions and it seemed that Ava was earnest in her pursuit of magical knowledge. Merlin knows he would be if he hadn't found out he was a wizard until he was sixteen. His mind briefly flashed to his mother, thinking of how she had to stop using magic because of his piss poor excuse of a father. He couldn't help but notice the similarities between Ava McGonagall and his mother. Both kept from magic by Muggles and desperate to use it. However, as the years went by, it became more clear that his mother would never return to the magical world. But Ava, she had her whole life in front of her and was just dying to take it all in. A pleasant feeling overcame him when he thought about imparting his knowledge to someone like Ava, who needed it and wanted it. He was going to be part of her magical upbringing, of sorts, he mused to himself. Snape cleared his throat and continued where he and Ava had left off just a few minutes ago.

Once Ava had essentially rewritten her notes from Potions class that day, Snape had her take another two pages of notes for the ingredients that they were more than likely going to cover in the next few classes. Ava pouted at one point that she wanted to begin brewing potions, and Snape shook his head at her amusedly. He informed her that brewing wouldn't take place in her first year class for maybe another month or so. He rolled his eyes at her antics when she let out a frustrated groan and dropped her head to the table. The Slytherin nearly offered for her to accompany him when he used the potions workroom for his own projects so she could have at least some experiencing observing how to brew properly. He frowned and shook the outrageous thought from his head and instructed Ava to read over the chapters on brewing the Cure for Boils and the Herbicide Potion. While she was reading, he would work on his Transfiguration essay and then quiz her once he was finished. The witch surprised him once again when she flashed him a quick smile and immediately got to reading.

About an hour later, they were once more interrupted, but this time it was by a tapping sound on the nearest window. Snape huff a sigh when he realized that Ava hadn't yet noticed the owl and was still engrossed in her textbook. He stood up to let the bloody bird in to whomever to was supposed to deliver its message to. As he was standing by to relatch the window, Snape was startled beyond belief by a shriek coming from behind him. Drawing his wand, he twisted around to find Ava crouched into a ball with her hands over her head, under their table with the owl sitting on top.

"Is it gone?" she hissed with wide eyes and the most bewildered look upon her face.

His jaw dropped for a mere second before he strided over to the table and promptly took the letter from the owl's talons before shooing it towards the window. The envelope was addressed to Ava, though he recognized the handwriting. Once it became obvious that the owl was gone and Snape closed the window, Ava crawled out from beneath the table and straighten her clothes and ponytail. He let out a low chuckle at the sight she made at the appearance of a mere owl and laughed a little harder when she scowled at him. Ava stomped over to where the Slytherin was standing and smacked him hard on the arm before returning to her seat. The hit to his arm did nothing to dissuade Snape from laughing at her expense. Taking his seat, the wizard saw her scowl deepen, so he explained, "I'm only laughing so hard, McGonagall, because you just looked so shocked, like you'd never seen an owl before."

Avalynn leveled a heated glare at Snape. "That's because it was my first owl, you jerk," she whispered angrily as she forcefully opened her textbook and turned the pages to resume her reading.

Oh, no. Now he felt like an idiot. He had heard that she grew up in the Muggle world, but he assumed that she must've stayed in contact with her magical relatives, like Professor McGonagall. "My apologies," he muttered quickly.

Ava's head snapped up at his comment. She hadn't expected him to actually apologize considering, well, who he was. She nodded once before opening the envelope and scanning the message quickly. She smiled and announced, "It's from Regulus. He wants me to meet him in the Astronomy Tower tonight at ten o'clock." Snape didn't feel the need to reply, so he continued working on his essay as Ava finished the chapter on the Herbicide Potion.

After a momentary silence, Snape nonchalantly asked, "McGonagall, why did you request me as a tutor?" At her confused look, he expounded, "I understand that you're new to Hogwarts, but surely your aunt, Professor McGonagall, explained the house rivalries. It's no secret that Slytherins and Gryffindors openly loathe each other."

Avalynn thought this might come up with Snape or Regulus, so she figured that she'd just tell them the same thing she told her aunt. "Well, I heard that you were the best when it came to Potions and I know that I have a lot to catch up on, so I figured why not start with the best foundation I can? The houses don't matter much to me anyway," she told him with a wave of her hand. He raised an expectant brow at this statement, so she elaborated, "I'm not going to judge anyone by their house. Whether you're a Gryffindor or Slytherin doesn't mean you're good or evil. Merlin was a Slytherin, did you know that?" Not waiting for a response, she continued, "I'm sure there are some Gryffindors that aren't all good either. I think that people should be judged by their words and actions, not where they were sorted, and Professor McGonagall feels the same way. Don't you think that's how we should determine if someone is 'good' or 'bad'?"

To say that Severus Snape was flummoxed would be an understatement. He never thought in a million years that a rational, nonjudgmental Gryffindor would exist.

Ava laughed lightly. "Besides, Benedict Smith is way too cute to be one hundred percent evil."

_Well, maybe not rational_, Snape thought to himself, amused with her notion that cuteness equated to goodness. For a while longer, Ava reread the chapters as he finished up his Transfiguration essay. Afterwards, he did quiz her, and he begrudgingly informed her that she passed his questions. Before she got too full of herself, he quickly reminded Ava that answering questions about the potion and how to brew it is not the same as actually brewing it. The witch nodded solemnly. He began to pack up his belongings when Ava quickly asked, "Where are you going?"

He rolled his eyes and replied, "McGonagall, we've been at this for hours. Dinner's nearly over, in fact."

Ava huffed, but decided to relent since she felt bad about him missing dinner because of her. Thinking quickly, she tilted her head and curiously asked, "Have you ever tickled a portrait of a pear?"

Snape threw her an incredulous look, so she hastily added, "I promise it'll be a good meal." She began to pack up her things as well, hoping to persuade Snape to join her in the Kitchens.

Though he would never admit it, Ava had piqued his curiosity. "And where exactly is this meal?" he asked with his brows raised, forming what Ava had started to call his "What the Devil is going on here?" Professor face.

She merely smiled and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the exit of the library. For the first few minutes of their trek towards the Kitchens, Ava regaled Snape with the story of her first day of classes. She further wormed her way into his good graces with the recount of the discussion between herself and the McLaggen boy, as well as her sharing of the class notes with the first-year Slytherin. However naive Ava appeared to be, she seemed to be a suspiciously, but genuinely nice person.

"How much further?" he asked as his stomach grumbled.

"Not much," she quipped as her walking pace sped up and she stopped in front of a large portrait of a bowl with fruit.

"Isn't this near the Hufflepuff common room?" he inquired.

Ava nodded absentmindedly and quietly said, "Now, I've never actually done this before, but I'm fairly positive it'll work."

The caution and worry in her voice triggered the paranoia within him and his mind started spinning. A Gryffindor like Ava was too good to be true. The whole airplane note on fire in front of the Marauders was probably just for show earlier. He harshly grabbed her arm and yanked her towards him. Ignoring her noise of pain, he got in her face and furiously whispered, "Never done what before, McGonagall? Is this some sort of set up? Some prank those imbeciles have waiting for me?"

Ava stared up at his dark eyes, flashing in anger, with confusion written all over her face. _What on earth is he talking about?_ she thought. She replayed his words in her mind as he gripped her tightly again and demanded answers, when it suddenly dawned on her. _Prank_. He thought she was part of a prank that the Marauders were pulling on him. "No, Snape. It's not a prank, nothing like that. Can you let me go please?"

He briefly considered trying to rattle her more to procure a confession, but she sounded more irritated than worried about being caught. He released her arm and she immediately rubbed the spot, trying to soothe the pain from his grasp. She huffed and looked him directly in the eyes. "I would never knowingly lead you into a trap like that, Snape. I don't know all of the history between you guys, but I've caught enough to know that I don't approve of how they generally treat you. Besides, I'm not happy with them either, right now, remember?"

At her pointed look, he felt a little sheepish. He did forget that she was currently staying clear of those menaces, just as he usually does. Her behavior thus far hadn't shown any indication that she would condone their vindictive style of pranks either. "I'm _not_ apologizing," he stated firmly.

Ava nodded. "I don't expect you to. Now, let's get some food." She turned back around and glanced over the portrait to find the pear. Once she did, she cautiously reached out and seemed to sort of scratch the image of the pear. With a delighted squeal, the pear jumped up and a door swung open in front of them. Ava turned to him with a smile and bounced excitedly before walking down a short flight of stairs and disappearing from view.

Snape grumbled to himself, "I can't believe I'm following a foolish Gryffindor into an unknown part of the castle," as he descended the staircase. His mouth was hanging open once he realized that they were truly in the Kitchens of Hogwarts. It looked like the back of a massive restaurant. Bustling activity of house elves all over the giant room, food being cooked on stoves, in ovens, dishes being cleaned, food being prepped for the next day by seemingly invisible hands. But mostly, it was dishes being cleaned since dinner in the Great Hall was drawing to a close. The open space that Snape was standing in had a couple of small tables and bar stools at a short bar for people to sit at. Ava's voice calling out, "Flopsy!" drew the wizard's attention. He looked over to see her sitting at one of the tables as a house elf popped into sight beside her. Jumping a little at Flopsy's sudden appearance, Ava politely asked, "Is there anything in particular that you'd like Snape?" He mutely shook his head. "Well, then, Flopsy, can we have a big plate full of everything that was served in the Great Hall tonight? We were studying for a little too long."

The tiny elf nodded. "Of course, Missus McGonagall," she replied before popping away.

Snape slowly approached the table and let out a breath. "I never knew this existed," he told her, still in slight awe, as he looked around the Kitchens again.

Ava just shrugged, knowing that she couldn't really tell him how she knew. Thankfully, before Snape even had time to ask, Flopsy reappeared with plates loaded with roasted chicken and various side dishes. Noting the mac and cheese, Ava let out a hungry grunt and dug into her food. Based on her initial reaction to the food, Snape assumed that the witch would have poor table manners, but it just seemed she was very hungry. They consumed their meal in a comfortable silence until Ava asked Snape what it was about Potions that he enjoyed so much. After that, they spent the next thirty minutes discussing potions and the magic behind it. At one point, the Slytherin got caught up in a current idea of his that he'd like to experiment with, but he had far surpassed Ava's ability to understand, so she just let him prattle on, working his way through his thoughts aloud. Eventually, he stopped speaking mid-sentence, and looking slightly embarrassed, asked heatedly, "Why didn't you tell me I was droning on?"

Ava just shrugged and said, "It helps me to think aloud sometimes too, and even though I couldn't understand half of what you were talking about, it seemed that you worked your way through that problem with the temperature, didn't you?" She flashed him a friendly smile, showing that she wasn't mocking him in any way.

Severus Snape gave her a true smile in return and thought, _I think I quite enjoy her company_.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I've got a couple chapters finished, so I'll be updated those back to back :D
> 
> Thank you so very much to everyone that's following this story and/or leaving reviews. I really do appreciate it and it's super encouraging :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 12**

Avalynn and Snape parted ways once they were back outside the Kitchens, with the Slytherin reminding her of their tutoring session before dinner on Wednesday. Feeling pleased and confident with her first encounter with Severus Snape, Ava headed the opposite direction down the corridor with a bounce in her step. The witch was too caught up in her thoughts of Potions and what she had learned that day, that she hadn't heard voices approaching from around the corner and was startled to see all four of the Marauders standing there, seemingly waiting for her. She could sense another useless lecture coming from the way James was standing with his arms crossed and how Sirius had his hands on his hips. Remus flashed her a friendly smile, sending warmth pulsing throughout her body, and forcing a smile from Ava in return. Her grin dropped slightly when she acknowledged Peter, but she was trying hard to not hold his future actions against him. She secretly hoped that it wasn't too late to save him, at least for his friends' sakes.

James cleared his throat and sternly asked, "Where were you just now, Ava?"

The young witch scoffed and sarcastically replied, "Oh, I'm sorry, _dad_. I didn't realize that I needed to let you know my whereabouts at all hours of the day." Gesturing at the parchment sticking slightly out of Sirius' robes, she added, "Clearly, you knew where I was."

Remus and Peter looked at their friends incredulously and the werewolf harshly whispered, "You told her about the map?"

Sirius shrugged off the question and took a couple of steps closer to Ava. "We swore that we would look out for you Ava, and that's what we're trying to do, but you need to listen to us."

Avalynn huffed out a sigh. Although she could detect the concern in the Animagus' voice, she couldn't _not_ help Snape and Regulus just because the boys didn't like her hanging out with them. This whole situation was much bigger than trivial school and sibling rivalries, and she couldn't have the boys thwarting her every move if she was truly going to make a difference. "Sirius, James, I understand what you're trying to do and I really do appreciate it because it's nice having someone look out for me," she stated calmly. Relief flooded the boys' faces a little too soon though. "However, _you_ need to _listen_ to _me_, now." James' lips pressed together in annoyance as Sirius' expression turned stormy. "When it comes to Severus Snape and Regulus, I can handle myself, and you need to remember that."

"Ava, you don't understand what they're capable of. They're dark wizards," Sirius growled as he stepped within arm's reach of her.

The witch made a noise of exasperation before harshly poking the black haired wizard in the chest. "I know _exactly_ what they may be capable of, Sirius Black, and I don't care," she stated firmly. He opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off with another poke to the chest. "No! Listen to me carefully, I'm tired of having this conversation with you guys," she peeked around Sirius to glare at James to make sure he was listening, "I have faith that they will not harm me, and you just have to accept that. After all, every witch and wizard is capable of dark magic, but I trust that there is enough good in those two boys." She sucked in a breath and quickly added, "And I need to be around them for tutoring anyway."

With his face reddened in anger, Sirius took a deep breath. He wanted to shake some sense into the stubborn girl. "Ava, it's kind of you to have some hope for those bastards, but that's just it. They _aren't_ good guys, and you can't let your guard down and be spending time with them. I'm sure you can ask McGonagall for different tutors."

Ava clenched her fists at her side to keep herself from physically attacking Sirius in frustration. She knew his personality from the books, but good Lord. It was a whole other experience to be face to face with his unrelenting prejudice. The boys were her first sort of friends at Hogwarts, but they seemed to be acting out of some sense of duty since it was technically their fault that she was here. If they couldn't handle being friends with her and let her behave as she saw fit, then she didn't need them, she concluded angrily. She took a deep breath with each step that she retreated from Sirius. Feeling that she was far enough away to not punch the Animagus in the face, she stopped and looked at James before speaking to Sirius. Although Ave spoke softly, her tone indicated the fact that she was fuming inside. "I'm going to say this one last time. I am going to continue hanging out with whoever I damn well please. _No one_ tells me what I can and can't do. Beyond that, I will not be listening to any biased remarks about those who happen to be in unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. You have no right to judge others when you are not in their position. If you can't handle that, then maybe I shouldn't be spending time with _you_." When she finished speaking, the Marauders could see unshed tears forming in her eyes.

Seeing Ava that upset made Sirius' stomach drop, and he cautiously reached out to comfort her. However, she pulled away, quietly muttering, "I need to go study," and darted past the boys, sprinting down the corridor. They were all too astonished by her emotional speech to chase after her. They stood in silence for a few moments before Sirius began to pull the map out his robes.

"Padfoot," James said softly. "I think we need to leave her alone for now." The wizard in question looked to his friends and saw the same sentiment reflected on Remus' face. Peter merely looked uncomfortable as his eyes flickered between his friends.

The werewolf nodded. "I think she needs some space right now, Sirius." Fortunately, the Animagus pocketed the map and began walking towards the Gryffindor common room. Remus let out a relieved breath. He couldn't explain exactly why, but he would've stopped his friend had he not relented and continued to pursue Avalynn. During that entire argument, his feelings were a revolving door, agreeing with Sirius and wanting to protect Ava for some reason, and then sympathizing with Ava's indignation at being told what to do. Regardless of his confusing feelings, he knew for a fact that Ava was not a submissive witch. _She's Alpha material for sure_, he thought. Remus made a strangled sort of noise when his brain finally caught up with what he had just thought and the fact that Moony had made his agreement known with a low, pleased rumble in the back of his mind. Unbeknownst to his fellow Marauders, his expression turned grim at the realization that Moony had decided that he liked Ava, and not just as a friend.

* * *

Avalynn rushed through the corridors and up stairs, desperately hoping that the Marauders weren't following her. She couldn't keep back the tears as she left them behind, and she couldn't bear the thought of them seeing her cry. Ava had a habit of crying when she was angry or frustrated, but in this situation she was also sad. Feeling that James and Sirius were her only real friends at Hogwarts, she felt extremely bereft at the idea of losing their friendship. _You aren't here to make friends anyway_, she told herself harshly. _You're here for Remus and to help change the future, if possible_. Mumbling the password, Ava entered her quarters without spotting Professor McGonagall in the kitchen area as she dropped her bag and ungracefully flopped herself onto the couch as silent tears ran down her face. Hearing the young witch sniffle, the professor hesitated before approaching the sofa and gently calling her name. Ava flinched and sat up, revealing her puffy and teary eyes.

"Dear child, what's wrong?" McGonagall asked with worry lacing her tone.

Ava wiped her nose and eyes before explaining, "I just got into a fight with James and Sirius, mostly Sirius, _again_ about hanging out with Slytherins. Specifically, Snape and Regulus."

The professor tutted before sitting beside Ava on the couch. "Those boys will come around, I'm sure of it. They just need time. But be sure to keep your wits about you, and not just around those two." Ava sniffled once more and nodded, silently hoping her aunt was right. "Would you like to tell me about your first day of classes?" McGonagall asked, hoping to distract the young girl.

It appeared to work as Ava's expression immediately brightened as she launched into telling the professor about her wonderful first day. Once Ava finished, McGonagall laughed lightly and commented, "I see you have an affinity for Slytherins," referencing her tentative friendship with Benedict Smith.

Avalynn smiled before informing her aunt that she was to meet up with Regulus for her first tutoring session in a few hours. McGonagall nodded in acknowledgment and let Ava know that she had moved the pain potions to a cabinet in the kitchen so that they would be more easily accessible. "I'll also speak with Poppy about obtaining more for your supply. There are only a few bottles left and it seems that you need about one each day. This weekend, we'll scour the library for resources to help us understand your connection with Mr. Lupin."

Ava voiced her thanks before settling in to review what she had learned that day, along with practicing the spells for second year Charms and first year Transfiguration. Noticing that she still had about an hour before needing to head up to the Astronomy Tower, Ava decided to read through the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook for first year, considering all she knew was _Expelliarmus_. Thankfully, Professor McGonagall interrupted her reading with the reminder to meet Regulus, and Ava quickly made her way to the tower before reassuring her aunt that she remembered the way there.

* * *

In the seventh year boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower, two of the Marauders were seriously debating whether or not to check their map for Ava and talk to her about their argument earlier. Tired of hearing Sirius and James talking in circles, Remus spoke up, "Padfoot, Prongs, just leave it for tonight, alright?" Having the attention of his friends, he reminded them, "She said that she was going to study, right? She's probably in her quarters with McGonagall doing just that."

James and Sirius looked at each other before silently coming to a decision. The Potter heir jumped off his bed and placed the map into his trunk as Sirius reasoned, "I highly doubt Minnie would let Ava stay out late anyway."

Remus mentally thanked Merlin that his friends were finished deliberating and moving onto other topics for discussion. He was having enough trouble as it was to focus on his homework and not think of Ava, but she kept popping up in his mind. It took a lot of control to not take the map for himself and check on the witch, and he could feel Moony pacing in agitation at his human's choice. He was desperately trying to forget all about Moony's uncharacteristic feelings for her. There was a very specific, furry, once a month, reason that he hadn't entertained the notion of a relationship with a girl beyond just friendship. He grimaced at the idea of Ava finding out that he was a monster and understandably deciding to stay away from him. He was startled when Moony let out a pitiful whine at Remus' line of thinking. Shaking his head, the sandy haired wizard tried to drown out his wolf and friends to once more focus on his Ancient Runes homework.

* * *

Avalynn wrapped her robe around herself tightly as she climbed the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, feeling the chill of the night air. Reaching the top, she couldn't help but observe the stars in awe. Without any light pollution, she could see more than she even knew were there. She was so busy craning her neck back to gaze at the night sky that she didn't see a shadow move on the edge of the tower. Essentially appearing out of nowhere, an arm reached for Ava and grasped her shoulder.

"Holy shit!" the witch screamed shrilly as she jumped in fright. Turning to face the cause of her mild heart attack, Ava saw gray eyes filled with amusement framed by black hair. "Screw you, Regulus Black," she said heatedly.

Pulling his hand away from Ava, he chuckled deeply before replying, "Now, Miss McGonagall, is that any way to greet your tutor?"

She scoffed. "Oh, please. You're absolutely right, apologies my great and all-knowing Astronomy tutor," she sarcastically quipped with a curtsy.

Regulus flashed her a grin. "You really aren't like most girls, are you?" he asked curiously.

A bitter laugh left Ava's mouth at the reminder of her delicate situation, what with her soulmate and being deposited in another universe. "You don't even know the half of it, Regulus."

"See? Like that. We hardly know each other well enough to be on a first name basis, Miss McGonagall," he informed her with an amused look.

The witch cringed, realizing that he was right. "Is that okay though? That I call you Regulus? You can call me Ava, you know. Miss McGonagall makes me feel like a professor is reprimanding me."

The younger Black brother let out a dramatic huff. "Well, I suppose, _Ava_," he replied as he held out his arm for her to take. Avalynn obliged Regulus and looped her arm through his. He walked her towards the center of the tower and pulled a small piece of fabric out of his robes. After a quick _Engorgio_, an emerald green blanket appeared before them, and Regulus gestured for Ava to sit as he took his own seat on the blanket. After settling and laying back to see the stars, the Slytherin pointed out a handful of constellations, most of which Ava was familiar with. With a dejected sigh, he pointed to a particularly bright star and said, "That's Sirius."

Ava glanced over at him to see a pained expression pass over his face momentarily before it disappeared. "I know he's an ass a lot of the time, but your brother most definitely cares about you, Regulus," she reassured him.

The wizard merely shrugged and launched into an explanation of his tutoring plan. She was to attend the classes with the first years, but he offered for her to come out on all of the nights when the classes use the tower, even the upper classes. "I'll be there to help you understand what you're looking at and how to document it, but you've got to keep up with the readings. Astronomy is fairly easy if you're paying attention," he explained.

"Easy for you to say. You've been studying it for what, six years?" Ava retorted.

"Actually, I've been learning about the constellations my whole life," he said softly, reminding Ava of his home life and drawing up some pity and worry for the boy. "I believe the first and second years are supposed to be out here tomorrow night," Regulus stated as he stood from the blanket and offered his hand to Ava.

With a simple, "Alright," she took his hand and headed down the tower. The Slytherin insisted on walking Ava to her shared quarters with McGonagall, and they shared a polite conversation about their classes. When saying their goodbyes, Regulus gently grasped Ava's hand and laid a kiss on the back of it, making her flush red.

He smirked slightly at her blush, but a frown overtook his face when she quietly muttered, "Please stop doing that. I'm not looking for any sort of romantic relationship."

The wizard let out a laugh and insisted, "All Pureblooded gentlemen would treat you in such a manner. Except, possibly my brother and his Gryffindor friends since they have no manners."

Ava couldn't stop a grin from forming on her face. "I'm trying to teach them some," she reminded him.

After parting, Ava quickly said goodnight to her aunt and got ready for bed. It was very apparent to the professor, and Ava herself, that the younger witch was feeling much more confident than the night before.

* * *

The next morning, Avalynn and Professor arrived to the Great Hall for breakfast, with the younger witch wishing she had stayed in their quarters for the meal. Thankfully, the Marauders weren't at breakfast yet, but she knew they would be soon, causing her stomach to squirm with nerves. Ava knew that she had left their conversation the previous day with what could be boiled down to an ultimatum. She had no clue if the boys would still want to be around her if she was going to spend time with those in the Slytherin house. Finding Frank and Alice in their usual seats, Ava sat down and began to load food onto her plate. Over the next few minutes, she politely responded when prompted by the future Mrs. Longbottom while trying to silently will time to slow down. _Maybe I can eat fast enough to get out of here before the boys show up_, she thought. Unfortunately for the anxious witch, she noticed Peter and Remus sitting down across the table only a moment later. Ava's whole body tensed at the hovering presence of Sirius and James behind her. With her eyes glued to the plate in front of her, the witch resolutely ignored the boys as they claimed their seats on either side of her.

Remus could feel the nervousness rolling off of Ava in waves, making Moony pace anxiously. Even after James and Sirius sat down, she remained frozen, with only her hand and mouth moving as she ate a piece of toast. Hoping to settle down his wolf and Ava in a fell swoop, he asked, "So, how's studying going Ava?"

The poor girl startled at his voice addressing her. Her blue eyes were wide as she looked to Remus, as if to check to see that he was actually speaking to her. Ava cleared her throat and replied, "Good," as she put down her food. Trying not to draw attention to herself, Ava went on to explain which subjects she was excelling in so far and enjoying as she slowly moved her hand to her lap. The compulsion to touch the werewolf was rearing its ugly head once again, forcing Ava's hands to tremble slightly as she resisted reaching out for him. She was repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists in the fabric of her robes that laid atop her thighs when something touched her hand. Looking down in surprise, Ava saw that Sirius had grasped her hand. She continued describing her first Defense class as if nothing at all was happening. The Animagus must have taken her silence as acceptance because he then threaded his fingers through hers and gave her a gentle squeeze. Unexpectedly, his touch seemed to ground her and help her focus, allowing the push to touch Remus simmer a little. For the rest of breakfast, Ava would hold Sirius' hand tight when the urge to reach for Remus would flare up once more.

Throughout Ava's retelling of yesterday, Remus mentally battled with himself and Moony. His wolf was clearly agitated when he noticed Sirius' hand disappear under the table, seemingly reaching towards Ava, whose hands had also withdrawn to beneath the table. He couldn't understand why his wolf would be so upset at such a thing because it's not like he really knew Ava at all. However, there was a part of him that wanted to release a growl at the notion of someone else besides himself touching Ava. He tried to remind himself that he had no business feeling such a way for a witch when he was burdened with a dark curse that he wouldn't wish upon others. He couldn't explain why he felt so relieved when the meal ended and Ava stood without her hand wrapped up in Sirius', so he shrugged it off as Moony's feelings affecting his, still clinging to the misinformed belief that the human and wolf were entirely separate entities.

Without a word to the occupants of the table, Ava quickly left the Great Hall for her first Transfiguration class, finding herself amongst first year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Already knowing the spells due to her aunt's help, Ava was able to work throughout the class with half of her mind wandering through her thoughts. She pondered over Sirius' actions during breakfast and what it meant for their friendship, as well as how she would be able to cope being around Remus. _Maybe Occlumency would help_, the witch considered. _I don't think Snape feels nearly comfortable with me yet to ask for his help._ She mentally shrugged and pushed the idea to the back of her mind as Professor McGonagall approached her row of desks to see how well they were able to transfigure their handkerchiefs into worms.

After her double Transfiguration classes, lunchtime found Avalynn hesitantly approaching the Gryffindor table where the Marauders were already sat and shoveling food onto their plates. Seeing that James and Sirius had left enough room for her to sit between them, Ava took a deep breath and sat down. James leaned over and whispered, "We're not leaving you alone, Ava." She turned to the boy with surprise at his words, causing him to give her a soft smile and continue, "We talked it over, and we'll back off. We don't want to lose you as a friend."

Ava returned James' smile and rotated in her seat to look at Sirius. He seemed to be frowning at James, but then broke into a smile when Ava met his gray eyes. The witch couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she could tell that there was something off about Sirius' expression. She looked to Remus and Peter, who appeared to be as taken aback by James' words as she was. As Remus locked eyes with her, Ava felt a wave of warmth wash over her, making her limbs feel tingly. Time seemed to slow down as Remus flashed her a friendly smile and her hand unconsciously rose from her lap and extended towards Remus' that was sitting beside his plate. Hearing a throat clear, Ava was pulled from her trance and noticed her hand hovering midway over the table. Face flushing in embarrassment, the witch quickly retracted her hand and made sure to tuck both of her rebellious appendages underneath the table. Without hesitation, she moved her hand towards Sirius and fumbled around with his hand until their fingers managed to lock together. Giving him a thankful squeeze when he didn't pull away, Ava used her free hand to dish herself up some lunch. Neither the witch nor Animagus caught the gaze of the werewolf whose eyes flashed gold briefly before he spent the rest of the meal alternating between frowning and clenching his jaw.

Fortunately for Ava, her magic didn't flare up for the remainder of lunch and she excitedly thought that she had found at least a temporary solution to her strong connection with Remus as she walked to the History of Magic classroom. Noticing that her class consisted of the same students as Transfiguration, she took a seat at the back of the room, not having made any acquaintances with the first years yet besides the Gryffindors that she also had Defense and Potions with. With a mental sigh, Ava berated herself for being disappointed that she hadn't found any more eleven year-old friends. Only a few minutes into the lesson, Ava could see why students were constantly falling asleep in this particular class. Professor Binns spoke in a monotone voice and wasn't very animated, but it was minutely interesting to be able to see through your teacher to the blackboard behind him. Tuning out the professor, Ava cracked open her textbook for first year History of Magic, determined to educate herself. The witch was so absorbed in the text that a fellow Gryffindor tapped her on the shoulder to let her know that the class had ended. Quickly muttering her thanks, Ava packed up her bag and made her way to Astronomy. She thought the history of the Wizarding World was interesting, but not too different from that of Muggles. Different groups of people coming to power, subjugating others, the others rebel and fight the oppression, and repeat. The only real difference was that the Wizarding World had different species fighting each other. Within her thoughts, Ava was still able to notice the magical connection to Remus flare behind her ribs. Rolling her eyes as she stepped to the side of the corridor, the witch reached into her school bag for the vial of Pain Potion. Once she had gulped down the liquid and continued on her way to class, Ava slowly realized that it hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet since her last dose. _Extra strength, my ass_, she thought with a huff as she rounded a corner and saw her classmates stepping into Professor Gestirn's Astronomy class. Picking up her pace slightly, the witch managed to make it into the classroom before the door was closed. Once again, she chose a seat at the back of the class, and tried to focus on learning and pushed thoughts of Remus, her connection with him, her desire to go home, and the impending wizarding war to the back of her mind as best as she could.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Leave me a review and let me know what you think! Constructive feedback is always welcome :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 13**

Avalynn was grateful that Professor Gestirn liked to keep classes brief and used the time mainly to discuss terminology and theory. The young witch could barely concentrate on the material, and was relieved to remember that Regulus would be meeting with her in the Astronomy Tower that night at 10 p.m. along with the other first years. She walked down the corridor, lost in her anxiety ridden thoughts. Taking a deep breath to try and calm herself, Ava tried to organize her thoughts by prioritizing. _One, homework. Two, study for Charms test tomorrow. Three, research ANYTHING related to getting myself home. Four, more research, but on pain potions. There's no way the one Madame Pomfrey gave me is the strongest of the Wizarding World._ Feeling overwhelmed, but ready to tackle her daunting tasks, Ava heaved a sigh while walking through the entrance to the library. As the young girl approached the table she sat at with Snape, the figure of a person settled in at the neighboring table became clearer. The second that Avalynn realized Remus Lupin was the person occupying that table, she turned and hightailed it out of there. Shaking her head and muttering, "Nope. Absolutely not", Ava realized that the pull towards Remus wasn't stopping her from leaving. Frowning, she thought, _Maybe I wasn't in his presence long enough for it to affect me?…Whatever. I CANNOT deal with him and this stupid soulmate bullshit on my own right now._

Pausing outside the library doors, Avalynn quickly decided to try out the Room of Requirement for a place to study. She hoped the room would be able to give her what she wanted, but a small voice in the back of her mind taunted Ava with the idea that the room would sense that she didn't really belong in this world. Finally arriving on the seventh floor, she attempted to gauge whereabout in the corridor the door to the Room of Requirement should be. Twice, she slowly moved down the corridor, testing out a portion of the castle wall a few meters long, pacing back and forth, firmly thinking, _I need a place to study, I need a place to study_. After pacing in front of the third section of stone wall she tested, a door suddenly appeared. Ava frowned at the door, thinking that it looked quite familiar. With a shrug, she twisted the doorknob and pushed it open. Upon stepping into the room, a gasp left her lips. After staring at the room's configuration for a brief moment, the witch fell to her knees and began to sob.

With her mind focusing on finding a place to study, the room must have drawn from her memories places related to studying because she was looking at a replica of the living room that she shared with her best friends, Grace and Katie, in college. Her emotions were torn. Part of her couldn't help but feel slightly happy and pleased with the room. On the other hand, her stomach dropped to the floor at the thought of never returning home. Never again meeting up for the monthly dinners with her friends to catch up. Never again hearing Grace's contagious giggle. Never again being on the receiving end of Katie's snarky comments. Never again snuggling with her dog, Moose, on lazy weekend mornings. Never again hugging her mom tightly and giving reassurance that everything was just fine and her life was great. A loud sob burst out of Ava with that last thought. Her mom was a little overbearing, but she just wanted the best for Ava. She couldn't imagine her mom's reaction to where her life was right at this moment. Everything was most definitely not fine. For a split second, Avalynn tried to calm herself down, but her resolve crumbled and she let the tears flow as she sat on the floor with knees pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped around herself. Breaking down made her realize how much worry and panic she had been keeping in, and after a few minutes her cries subsided and turned to sniffles. Teary eyed, Ava slowly walked around the room, taking in the little details, like the exact picture frames, books, and cutesy trinkets they kept out on display. Placing her bag on the coffee table, she reverently picked up a folded crochet blanket from the back of the couch and slowly brought it to her face. Breathing in the familiar scent of her late grandmother's handiwork forced a watery smile onto Ava's face. _C'mon, Avalynn, you can do this_, she thought. _You _have _to do this_. Letting out a shuddering breath, the young witch settled down and silently began to work on her class assignments.

In what felt like no time at all, an annoying alarm clock sounded throughout the room, startling Ava from her practicing of second year Charms. Checking the wristwatch that Professor McGonagall had gifted to her, Ava realized that dinner was starting in a mere five minutes. She hurriedly packed her bags and quickly made her way down to the Great Hall. Knowing she was a slow eater, Ava didn't want to miss any more of the meal than she was already going to. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves, the witch stepped into the cavernous dining hall and scanned the Gryffindor table for her friends. _Although, we almost _weren't _friends any longer_, she thought. With an internal sigh, she added, _We'll see if the boys can actually behave themselves like they say they will_. The Marauders and usual suspects were already digging into their meals as Ava sat down in the small empty spot between James and Sirius. They each slid down the bench a bit to give her enough space to sit, and as soon as Ava dished up her plate, she gently poked Sirius' leg. In response, the Black heir silently reached out his hand for the witch to hold onto. She had briefly glanced at Remus when she arrived, but it was difficult to avoid the werewolf's gaze since he was sitting right across from her. Both took a bite of their dinners and managed to lock eyes, even though Ava was trying desperately to avoid such a thing. The magic within Avalynn flared instantly, coaxing her towards Remus. Her spine straightened and she leaned forward slightly. Not wanting a repeat of her actions during breakfast, Ava clenched her fingers around Sirius' and tucked her other trembling hand under her thigh.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Avalynn's magic was fed up with her resistance. In its insistence for physical contact with her soulmate, the magic within her began to hum pleasantly, spreading a soft, cozy warmth throughout her body, emanating from her chest. After a few seconds of registering the feeling, Ava began to feel light and somewhat giddy. She looked deep into Remus' green eyes and drank in his handsome face. She secretly thought the scars made him look rugged, and a little giggle erupted from her. If the witch had been in her right mind, she would've noticed the others giving her odd looks. _Why _shouldn't _I touch him? _she thought_. It's not like I'd be hurting anyone. Who knows? Remus might like it._ Without further hesitation, Ava's hand slowly began to slip out from underneath her thigh. She was about to raise it above the table and reach out for the werewolf when Sirius spoke.

"You alright there, Ava?" Sirius asked with a slight squeeze of her hand.

The physical reminder of where her hand was placed, caused Ava to look at the black haired wizard. Her drunken, dazed look did nothing to assuage Sirius' concern. He placed his free hand on her cheek. "Avalynn, are you okay?" he asked in a more firm tone than before. She didn't know whether it was the worry lacing his voice or the additional touch, but Ava managed to snap out of whatever trance she had been in.

Harsh reality settled in quickly, causing her to panic at the realization that she may not be in complete control of her body anymore. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and stood form the table. "I'm fine. I've just got a lot of work to do. See you guys tomorrow," she said, casting a quick glance at Sirius and no one else before retreating from the Great Hall. Once the witch was a good distance from the hall, she glanced around to make sure no one else was around. Looking heatedly down at her chest she whispered, "You listen to me, you…magic. Yeah..magic! You're _my_ magic! Mine. I'm not yours. You can't just make me do stuff just because you want to. You made me feel _drunk_ practically. No under-aged, magical intoxication for this girl, thank you." Upon not hearing or feeling any sort of response, Ava felt incredibly silly. She let out a frustrated groan. "This is ridiculous. I don't know if you're actually self-aware or whatever, but you can't do this. Besides the fact that you shouldn't just make people magically fall in love, I've got plenty of other shit to worry about right now." Once again, she was given no sort of reply. With a huff, she stalked down the corridor to the library. Heading to the table she shared with Snape, she spotted the Slytherin already settled in. With a grunt, she plopped herself down.

"What's got your feathers in a ruffle, McGonagall?" he asked without looking up from his parchment.

Ava tilted her head and curiously asked, "How'd you know it was me?"

At this, the boy glanced up, revealing a raised brow. "Not a single other person in this castle would dare disturb me whilst in the library. Even Regulus knows to remain silent until I've arrived at a good stopping point and acknowledge him."

Ava laughed and raise a hand to her chest, seemingly scandalized. "Well, excuse me, Mr. Snape. I daren't interrupt your great mind henceforth," she mocked.

The corners of his mouth twitched before he replied, "Indeed."

"Do you mind if I just do some studying here for a while? I've got an Astronomy lesson at ten, so I'd rather be productive until then."

"I suppose," Snape grumbled, but he didn't appear to actually be upset Ava thought.

After hours of pouring over her textbooks for History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration, and two snacks summoned via Flopsy, it was time for Ava to head up to the Astronomy Tower. Parting ways outside the library door, Snape made his way down to the dungeons whilst Ava began to climb the infinite amount of stone staircases up the tower. Out of breath and sweating, the witch joined the class for her first practical lesson in understanding the stars. She was grateful for Regulus' presence, for without him, she didn't think it would've been possible for her to manage doing every part of the assignment correctly. Unfortunately for Ava, a certain amount of mathematics and graphing were involved in mapping out the constellations before she could even attempt to answer the short response questions that followed. After the lesson, Regulus, ever the gentleman, once again walked Ava back to her shared quarters with Professor McGonagall. She flashed him a smile in appreciation when he didn't move to take her hand and kiss it before saying goodbye.

Once in the living room, Ava set her bag down and let out an exhausted sigh. Her aunt was reading a book on the sofa, so the witch dropped herself down into one of the big chairs. "How was your day, dear?" McGonagall asked.

"It was pretty good, overall. Classes are still going well, but History of Magic is dreadfully boring with Binns as the professor." With a slight flinch, she looked over at the older witch to see her frowning.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you'll still do well. If you feel the need for tutoring in that subject as well, just let me know," the professor said.

Thinking over her day and what else Ava could share with her aunt, she remembered having to take the potion earlier in the day than usual. Not wanting to alarm McGonagall, she simply asked, "So, that potion that Madame Pomfrey has me taking? Is that really the strongest pain potion available?"

With narrowed eyes, McGonagall asked, "And why exactly do you need to know that, young lady? Is there anything I should know?"

Ava shrugged and merely said, "I was just curious in case this whole connection thing starts to get worse."

"I certainly hope it won't come to that, my dear girl. The potion you're taking is the highest amount of pain potion dosage you can get from Hogwarts, or even St. Mungo's. Anything stronger will more than likely have terrible side effects due to the potency."

"Hmm," was all Ava said. Just a moment later, she stood and announced that she was getting into bed. She couldn't help but go to sleep with a smile on her face, thrilled at the successful second day of classes.

* * *

Both Remus and Moony were slightly frustrated at their lack of interaction with Avalynn. Moony had more…animalistic reasons to want to be close to the girl, but the wizard just wanted to get to know her better. For some reason he couldn't help but be curious about her, and she was extremely pretty to boot. Determined to strike up a conversation with her over breakfast, the werewolf asked his Animagus friends for topics that Ava would feel comfortable discussing. He knew about her parents and living situation, and didn't want to accidentally dredge up some hurtful memory. He took in Ava as she approached the Gryffindor table. Her long, wavy blond hair was pulled back into a relaxed braid this morning and he noticed that she seemed to be walking with more confidence. The other times he noticed her walking in or out of the Great Hall, her shoulders were slumped, looking as though she'd like to disappear. He could understand though. He had had plenty of people stare at him over the years due to the scars on his face, it was just that mostly everyone at Hogwarts had gotten used to them. Thinking back to the times when Ava stood up to James and Sirius over her befriending of the Slytherins, he recalled that she had absolutely no trouble standing tall and firmly planting herself in front of his angered friends. Once again, a quick, flash of a thought passed from Moony to him. _She's a strong, loyal Alpha. Perfect mate._ Remus choked on the bite of scrambled eggs that he was chewing. Though, the arrival of Ava prevented him from reflecting on that last thought for too long.

She flashed him a lovely smile, so he politely asked, "So, how's everything going, Ava?"

The witch's eyes widened briefly before her hands disappeared beneath the table, just like yesterday, he noticed. Remus couldn't be one hundred percent sure, but it was awfully suspicious that Sirius' right hand dropped to his lap immediately after Ava placed hers down there as well. Feeling Moony stirring in agitation, the sandy haired wizard tried to quickly move along the conversation. "How are classes and studying?"

Ava appeared slightly dazed before jumping slightly in her seat. With a shake of her head, she used her free hand to dish up her meal and said, "I think they're going really well so far. I'm sure that I'll catch up in no time. I'm already taking the second year exam for Charms today and the first year Transfiguration exam on Friday."

Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise. Of course, they had all chatted about how long they thought it would take Ava to master the spells and other material before she would be in their seventh year classes.

"That's pretty impressive, Ava," Lily piped up. "I'm sure you'll be learning alongside us soon enough," she added with a wink.

The beaming smile that made its way onto Avalynn's face was mesmerizing to Remus. Her whole face transformed and he decided then and there that he always wanted to see her that happy.

"Of course, she will be my sweet Lily flower," James announced, sounding proud. He bumped Ava's shoulder gently with a smile, earning a fond look from the red-head. "Speaking of flowers," the Potter heir continued as he reached behind his back, muttering a spell under his breath. When his hand returned, it was filled with a colorful bouquet of wildflowers. Lily's eyes widened as James held them out for her to take.

"Thank you, James. They're beautiful."

"Almost as beautiful as you, Evans," he quipped with a wink. Lily may have rolled her eyes, but the smile remained on her face as she and Alice took turns smelling the flowers.

Remus was thankful that his friend had learned to tone down the romantic gestures for his love interest. Looking back to the witch he was interested in, the werewolf noticed her staring resolutely at her plate while consuming her meal. It almost seemed like she didn't want to talk to him. Nervously clearing his throat, he tried another line of questioning. "So, do you like Quidditch?"

* * *

It was taking everything Avalynn had to not laugh at the question Remus just asked her. Quidditch? Really? It made her think of Harry and Ron and how most of what they talked about was classes, Quidditch, and whatever shenanigans they were up to that year. With a small smile she said, "I've actually never seen a match." After the bursts of incredulity from James, Peter, and Sirius, Ava added, "I've never flown either." She laughed at the repeat shouts of astonishment, but explained, "I'm not really fond of heights anyway, so I probably wouldn't like being on a broom anyhow."

James was shaking his head emphatically. "Nope. You won't know until you try, and you're definitely gonna try. I won't let you _not_ try it out. Flying is amazing."

The witch just rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever you say, James." Doubling check her schedule, Ava saw that she had double Charms that morning before lunch.

After saying their goodbyes, Ava headed off to the Charms classroom, intensely focused on mentally reviewing the Charms for second year. During the actual class, she took the written portion of the exam and then she completed the practical portion by performing the spells for Professor Flitwick immediately after class ended. Thankfully, the small professor had created a Charm to grade the multiple choice questions quickly. With only a few short response questions to read over, Flitwick handed Ava back her test with a smile. "You did wonderfully, Ms. McGonagall."

Returning his smile with one of her own, Ava quickly said "Thank you, professor," before heading out of the classroom for lunch. Even though Ava had passed first and second year Charms, she recognized that those spells would more than likely be the easiest and that was only for one subject. _Doesn't matter how long it'll take_, she thought determinedly, _You are learning MAGIC! How awesome is that? Besides, no slowing down._ She couldn't stop her worries of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. As she stepped out of Charms class, she almost walked into Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, hello, Ava. I was coming to accompany you to the Great Hall for lunch," the professor said. Still a little lost in her thoughts, Ava silently nodded and they started walking towards the staircase.

"So, how did the exam go?" McGonagall asked.

"I passed!" the young witch shouted with glee.

The professor smiled. "Congratulations, Ava."

"Is my schedule going to change now that I've passed second year Charms?"

McGonagall frowned and hesitantly said, "Well, I'd rather you remain in the second year class for the rest of this week since you'll also be taking the Transfiguration exam Friday. There's no sense in changing your schedule for two days just to change it again."

Ava huffed, but relented. She knew that made the most sense. Thinking back to her worries about Voldemort, Ava lowered her voice and asked, "What about joining the Order?" At her aunt's furrowed brow, she quickly added, "I know I'm not ready for missions or whatever, but I can tell you things that might help."

The professor nodded. "I will have to think about it."

Ava realized that that was the best answer she could hope for the time being. As her magical abilities increased, she would push harder to be an active part of the Order. Changing topics, she said, "I'll need some more pain potions from Madame Pomfrey. I noticed that there's only two bottles left after the one I'll use for today."

McGonagall looked alarmed when she caught Ava's wording. "Are you taking a vial of the potion each day?"

With a slight wince, Ava admitted, "It's about every 18-24 hours I think actually."

The older witch let out a small gasp. "Oh, dear. I'll speak with Poppy during lunch." After receiving thanks from the young girl, the professor informed Ava that Mr. Shacklebolt would be tutoring her after dinner in the Transfiguration classroom since they'll need to space to practice casting. Once in the Great Hall, the witches parted ways. Ava plopped down in her usual seat, thankful that she arrived before the Marauders. It was difficult for her to eat, whilst resisting the magic pulling her to Remus, and trying not to go all "drunken love" in front of everyone. _Because apparently that's something I have to worry about now!_ she thought with annoyance at the idea of her magic and body turning against her. Once her Gryffindor friends arrived, Ava allowed for Sirius to get a plate full of food before reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers. She could feel her mind starting to go a little fuzzy when she looked at Remus for too long, so she consciously flickered her gaze around the table throughout lunch, only resting on the werewolf for a couple of seconds.

Just when Ava thought the meal wasn't turning out to be too problematic, the pain in her chest flared, sending out a relatively subtle wave of discomfort through her body. She twitched at the sudden pain, reflexively squeezing Sirius' hand. The Animagus looked to the witch in concern, furrowing his brow when Ava's hand jerked in his once more.

James placed his hand on Ava's shoulder. "Ava? You feeling okay?" he asked worriedly. He looked over her bent head at Sirius, trying to communicate telepathically that he thought the witch might be having another episode.

Shuddering through the surprising waves of pain, Ava opened her mouth to claim she was fine, but what came out what a gasp. The pressure in her chest increased rapidly, causing her eyes to begin to water. Knowing that she needed her potion, and now, she shakily stood up and headed towards the giant entrance without saying goodbye. Sharing a brief look, James and Sirius muttered goodbyes with the excuse to just double check on Ava. Fortunately for the young witch, the boys sprinted to catch up with her just outside the doors of the Great Hall. She was holding a hand to her chest as she stumbled towards the wall of the corridor, and nearly collapsed before Sirius grabbed a hold of her. Ava let out a whimper of pain, increasing the boys' alarm.

"What do you need, Ava?" Sirius hurriedly whispered as James ushered them behind a wide tapestry they knew covered a decent amount of space from prying eyes, which they learned about from their Marauder proclivities.

"The..the p-potion," she managed to stutter out in between pained breaths as she began to sink to the floor, taking Sirius with her.

Immediately, James took her school bag from her and dug around until he felt glass. Triumphantly pulling his hand out of the bag, he realized it was just a bottle of ink. With another pained whimper from Ava, he cursed colorfully and upended the contents of the bag onto the floor. Spreading out the items, he quickly spotted the potion and handed it to Sirius.

"C'mon, Ava," Sirius said as he uncorked the vial. Ava just groaned and started to curl in on herself. "No, no, you can't do that, Ava. I need you to drink the potion," he said firmly. She looked at him with tears in her eyes, and Sirius thought his heart might just break. The look on her face reminded him of Reggie when he'd get in trouble at home and Sirius would be the one to help him heal and recover. With renewed determination, he cupped Ava's jaw and brought the potion to her mouth. "I'll plug your nose if you don't drink it."

The witch's eyes widened and she acquiesced. The relief was nearly instant and Ava let her body relax into Sirius. She wrapped her arms around him and took a minute to calm down her tears and runny nose. The Animagus sighed and rubbed her back soothingly.

However, James demanded answers. "What the _fuck_, Ava?" he whisper shouted. "You told us that you would keep up with taking the potion regularly so that this specifically wouldn't happen again."

Ava sighed. "I know, James. It just came on a lot faster than it usually does." She omitted the fact that her need for the potion was growing.

"Well, she'll be more careful in the future, right Ava?" Sirius asked while looking down at her pointedly.

Realizing how she was slightly tangled with Sirius, the witch nodded with reddened cheeks as she moved away from him.

Of course, James noticed and with a grin said, "So, what's with the whole hand-holding thing? You can't have thought I wouldn't notice. Is there more going on between you two?"

Ava blushed profusely and stammered, unable to get out a coherent response. Sirius chuckled and shook his head. Finally able to speak, Ava firmly said, "Absolutely not!" and shook her head no as well.

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much," Sirius quipped, earning a punch in the arm from James.

"She's for Moony, Padfoot," James admonished.

"I am not _for_ anyone, James," Ava replied hotly. Both boys raised their hands in surrender, knowing her soulmate connection with Remus was a sore subject. Gathering her supplies and reorganizing her school bag, Ava said, "I need to head to Defense. I'll see you later." However, both boys protested, claiming they needed to escort her themselves to be sure that she arrived to class safely. The witch may have rolled her eyes, but she allowed the boys to accompany her. As they stepped out from behind the tapestry, they didn't spot the two figures in the shadows, watching the trio carefully. Too caught up in Ava's pain earlier, neither the protective boys nor Ava noticed the two inquisitive Slytherins that had followed them out of the Great Hall, watching the entire scene before they disappeared behind the tapestry.

Upon arriving at the Defense classroom, Ava managed to startle her protective detail by shouting out for Benedict. She was waving hello, when she caught Sirius snorting in amusement. "What?" Ava asked with a frown.

"You have quite the odd habit of befriending the snakes," Sirius told her.

James squinted at Benedict's tie and let out a breathy laugh. "Well, at least these snakes are just babies. They shouldn't be anything to worry about."

Ava crossed her arms as she tersely stated, "Of course not. Benedict and his friends are pleasant company."

Padfoot moved to speak again, but luckily James interrupted him with the reminder that they needed to get out to Herbology. A quick goodbye later, and Avalynn was joining her new Slytherin acquaintances in line.

* * *

Sirius and James darted through the corridors and out onto the grounds of the school, barely managing to arrive to class on time. Taking their spots at the predetermined stations in the greenhouse, Remus asked, "Is Ava alright?", with Peter and Lily leaning in to hear an answer from either of the boys.

"She's just still adjusting to Hogwarts and dealing with her mum's death," James informed them. Sirius nodded in agreement, after which Lily and Peter seemed to accept their answer easily enough. Remus narrowed his eyes at the two trouble makers though, not convinced that they were telling the truth. When neither James nor Sirius cracked under his gaze, he knew they wouldn't change their explanation of what happened with Ava. He left it alone all during class, but by the end of the lesson, he was ready to pull his own hair out, as was Moony. The wolf had been pacing anxiously since Ava dashed out of the Great Hall without a word.

Remus pulled his two friends back from the group of students as they made their way back up to the castle. "What's _really_ going on with Ava, guys?" If he hadn't known his friends as well as he did, he would've missed the guilt and panic that flashed across their faces at his question.

"You'd have to ask Ava, Moony," Sirius said.

"Yeah, it's not our story to tell," James added.

Without waiting for a response from the werewolf, the boys continued their trek to the castle. Unfortunately for Remus, he didn't feel that he and the new witch knew each other well enough yet for him to ask her directly. He would need to get to know her better, and clearly just talking to her during meals wasn't going to work. Remus was determined to think of some way to get closer to Ava, and he could feel Moony rumble out a noise of agreement.

* * *

Meanwhile, Avalynn was bored out of her mind in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Today's lesson was focused on theory, so no wand waving for them, and she wasn't able to chat with Benedict at all either. Of course, Potions was more theory, but Ava was able to take her previous seat next to Benedict, once more helping him take notes. On her way to the library to meet up with Snape for Potions tutoring, Ava's thoughts revolved around the pain potion that she was currently taking. _There's gotta be a stronger version._ She was contemplating doing some research on pain potions when she realized that Snape would probably know. _Hell, he could probably _create _one_, she thought brightly.

This time, Avalynn arrived at their designated study table first, so she took out her Potions notes and textbook, readying herself for Snape's arrival. The first thirty minutes or so passed as their session had the other day. The Slytherin had Ava revise her notes, read over the next potion in her textbook, and then he would quiz her on it. However, the witch was too distracted by the idea of him knowing how to help her manage the pain from the connection to Remus. The trouble was that she just didn't know how to approach the topic discreetly.

Snape flicked his head up, catching Ava staring for the fifth time within a single minute. "What, McGonagall?"

"Hmm?" Ava said, glancing back down at her book.

The Slytherin huffed and set down his quill. "You obviously have something on your mind, so get on with it so I can continue my work in peace."

Ava opened her mouth but no sound came out. She could see the start of a sneer forming, so she blurted out, "What do you know about pain potions?" Snape merely raised an eyebrow. She added, "Do you know if there's a way to make pain potions stronger or last longer?"

Before his inner Slytherin could stop himself, Snape's intellect broke through his thoughts first. "Well, there are stronger potions than the average ones that healers use, but those can only be taken once or in small doses before the side effects become detrimental." He pondered for a moment before continuing, "I suppose that the original recipe of a standard pain potion could be altered so that the pain relief would last longer. There are ingredients that should be able to do that, or the temperature…" When he finally noticed how genuinely interested Ava was, he narrowed his eyes. "Why, exactly, are you asking about pain potions?"

The witch really didn't want to lie to him, but she felt as though their friendship was too new for her to be completely truthful with him. She also couldn't help but think that demanding a Wizard's Oath from Snape wouldn't go over well. "I have a, uh, well, it's a sort of condition. It flares up occasionally with painful side effects, and the potion I'm on now is starting to not work as well."

"Does your…condition have anything to do with your hasty departure from the Great Hall earlier this afternoon?" he aptly guessed.

Ava pursed her lips, but nodded. _Sneaky Slytherins_, she thought.

Snape was intrigued by the experimental aspect of working on a potion with Ava because he would actually have a test subject as well. The wizard nodded to himself. "I will conduct some experiments for you, but I have conditions."

Ava grinned. "I would expect nothing less from you, Severus Snape."

Frowning and choosing to ignore the ominous undertone of her comment, he explained, "I have set hours in the Potions lab already. You are to accompany me there during those hours since you need to learn more about actually brewing potions, but you will also assist me in preparing ingredients. I will accept nothing less than excellence. There's no room for dunderhead mistakes if you are to be consuming these potions, Avalynn."

The girl was taken aback by the use of her first name, but it just reminded her how serious potion-making was. Trying to lighten the mood, she joked, "Why, Severus, if you wanted to hang out with me more, simply ask next time." The Slytherin did not appear amused in the slightest, so she quickly added, "I think that's a great idea though. Potions class is boring as Hell right now. When should we meet up?"

"After dinner tomorrow and Friday." He was surprised when she didn't protest about her Friday night being taken up. "What? No Friday night plans?" he joked halfheartedly. He wasn't quite sure how his comment would be received.

Ava smiled sadly, realizing that she truly didn't have any plans for Friday or the rest of the weekend. No one had asked her to do anything. "Nope, no plans. Just you, me, and cauldron with our names on it," she said with a slightly brighter smile. Ava's comment made the corner of Snape's mouth move up, earning her a near smile. "You wanna head to dinner?" she asked.

With a nod from the wizard, they both packed up their bags and walked to the Great Hall together, amiably chatting about classes. The massive entrance to the dining hall was in sight when they were intercepted by the Marauders.

"Oi!" Sirius bellowed as he and James instinctively pulled out their wands.

Avalynn angled herself slightly in front of Snape. "You should mind your manners, Sirius Black and James Potter!" she reminded them sternly.

Apparently, Severus just couldn't help himself. "Don't get your hopes up, McGonagall. That'll be the day," he sneered in the boys' direction.

Before any of the Marauders could respond, Ava loudly said, "I know deep, deep, _deep_ down, they are both true gentlemen who _will_ learn to let others associate with whom they choose to." Without waiting for a rebuttal, she looped her arm through Snape's and pulled him to continue down the corridor towards the Great Hall.

As soon as they were out of ear shot from the Marauders, Snape leaned down and hissed, "What _are_ you doing?" Her silent smile irritated him to no end, so he muttered something about being manhandled by a witch he barely knew, forcing a laugh from Ava.

"We should remedy that issue then," she told him.

* * *

All four of the Marauders stood staring after Ava and Snape with their mouths agape. James was the first to speak, "The nerve! We're just trying to protect her."

Sirius snorted and said, "Well, she's a true Gryffindor alright." With his friends looking to him for elaboration, he added, "For being in such close contact with Snivellus' greasy hair. That thing's liable to catch a flame."

Padfoot's joke earned a laugh from James and Peter, but Remus had been done with their schoolyard taunting for some time and Ava was just the extra push he needed. "She's right, guys." The three boys groaned in unison, sensing an oncoming lecture by Moony's tone. "No, I'm serious." He glared at Sirius, daring him to try and make a joke. "We're almost out of school and you need to put that childish behavior and way of thinking behind you. Clearly, Ava's been with Snape multiple times and nothing has happened to her." With a grimace, he said, "And I know he called Lily the M-word, but remember how much he apologized afterwards? With how much James made fun of him for hanging outside our common room, you'd think he was plenty remorseful. He probably just took out his anger for us on Lily." He took off in the direction of the Great Hall, not wanting to hear their response to his last comment. That whole situation was a sore subject, one he'd rather avoid. He just couldn't condone the bullying behavior anymore. He felt especially shameful about it in front of Ava. Rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, he approached the Gryffindor table, instantly spotting Avalynn. Once more, he became distracted just by looking at her. She was currently conversing with Lily and Alice and was smiling so genuinely, he had to wonder what on earth could've set her off during lunch. Internally sighing at his developing crush, Remus took his seat across from the beautiful witch. She had clearly won Moony over, but Remus was still too reluctant to think of her in such a way. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was just something about her that drew him in.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 14**

Avalynn resolutely ignored Sirius and James throughout dinner, only speaking to the other Gryffindors occupying the table. The only indication she gave to acknowledge the boys' presence was that she continued to clutch Sirius' hand in her own for the duration of the meal. Speaking to Remus was difficult enough as it was, and annoyed with Sirius or not, Ava was not about to let herself look like a lovesick fool in front of the entire school. As irritating as the Black heir's attitude could be, the witch was able to breathe a sigh of relief when his touch grounded in her reality, keeping her from reaching out to Remus once his enchanting green eyes were fixed on hers. She desperately hoped that her magic wouldn't manipulate her body and mind as it had before.

After dinner, Ava was able to escape the Marauders' company with her Defense tutoring session as an excuse. Judging by the pouting expressions on Sirius and James' faces, she wasn't going to be able to ignore them much longer. She let out a frustrated huff as she ascended the staircase outside the Great Hall. _They just need to get over their rivalry with Snape and everything will be fine. I'm not going to bend to their stupid rule of not hanging out with Slytherins when I practically need to be with them. Well, Severus and Regulus at least. And Benedict_, she added with a smile. The Transfiguration classroom thankfully had all of the desks already moved out of the way, so as Ava waited for Kingsley Shacklebolt to arrive, she practiced the only first year Defense spell she knew. _Expelliarmus_. Too caught up in her spell-casting, Ava was startled when the door opened and revealed a large figure. As the person stepped into the classroom, she had to bite back a laugh, remembering her initial thought of Kingsley being a tiny, little kid since he was most definitely anything but little.

"Ava McGonagall, right?" her tutor asked in a young, light voice that didn't seem to match his physique.

"Yep, and you're Kingsley, right?" she replied as she took a few steps closer and reached out to shake his hand. Standing much closer to the dark skinned wizard gave Ava a chance to really take in the thirteen year-old. Regardless of his height reaching six feet and having a muscular build— _Probably from Quidditch_, Ava reasoned—he held her hand gently as he introduced himself. Kingsley explained with a smile that even though he was earning extra credit for the tutoring lessons, he was interested in dueling, so he intended to teach Ava as much as he possibly could so that he could have a school-sanctioned dueling partner to practice with. Ava laughed lightly, thinking, _The kid does turn out to be an Auror after all_.

For the next hour, the Ravenclaw taught Ava _Petrificus Totalus_ and _Rennervate_ since she was able to prove herself with _Expelliarmus_ right away. As Kingsley was instructing Ava, he would critique the way that she held herself, so she quickly learned the best ways to move her body along with her spell-casting. She had just begun practicing _Impedimenta_ when Kingsley's wand vibrated and emitted a rather annoying rooster sound.

The wizard laughed at Ava's surprised expression. "That's my morning alarm sound, sorry. It's rather effective."

"I can imagine. So, does that mean we're done for today?"

He nodded as he picked up his schoolbag. "Yeah, we'll meet up again next Wednesday, same place, same time."

"Okay," Ava replied, trying to not let her disappointment show. She couldn't practice Defense only once a week! That was one of the most important subjects she needed training in. After saying goodbye, Ava pushed that letdown to the back of her mind and thought over the spells and footwork that she had learned while making the way back to the quarters she shared with McGonagall. Realizing her improvement in defensive spells helped Ava feel more accomplished than she had all week and she retired for the night in a happy mood.

* * *

The next morning, Ava was double checking her timetable, and saw that she did indeed have Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Astronomy again today. She picked through her scrambled eggs, feeling slightly guilty that today wasn't her favorite setup of classes, even though it included her aunt's class. Movement from across the table drew her attention. Remus and Lily sat down, amidst a conversation about the Quidditch match schedule being released within the next few days. Ava's head whipped towards the entrance of the Great Hall, scanning the bodies and hoping to locate Sirius or James. When she didn't find them, she turned to Lily and Remus with a panicked expression.

Of course, the werewolf saw her face and with a voice full of worry asked, "What's wrong, Ava? Are you feeling okay?"

The witch cringed at the thought of him noticing, but nodded even though her face was beginning to pale as she keep her eyes firmly on her plate. "Where's Sirius and James?" Ava questioned, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"They overslept, but they'll be here soon," Lily reassured.

Ava clenched her fists that were resting atop the table, squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. Feeling quite similar to how she did right before her panic attack in the Shrieking Shack, the witch was desperately trying to calm herself down. She hadn't been close to Remus without James or Sirius being there as well and she trembled from the effort it was taking to restrain herself just from hearing his stupid voice asking stupid questions. Ava once more checked the door of the massive dining hall and saw that the boys had yet to make an appearance. Just as she was about to get up and leave, she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, Ava watched in fascinated horror as Remus reached out a hand and covered her own.

* * *

Remus could feel Moony stand at attention the instant Ava's face showed how anxious she was at the idea of James and Sirius being late to breakfast. As far as he could tell though, she went about her classes just fine without their presence. However, it was clear from the witch's body language that she was not okay at all. His heart went out to her as Moony began to pace in nervousness. Ava was still new to Hogwarts, recently lost her mother, and was uprooted from her life. And now she must be worried without the first friends that she seemed to make at the school. The girl now truly looked on the verge of panicking, shaking slightly and pale, so, in an attempt to settle Moony and his own worries, as well as Ava's, he reached out and covered one of her clenched fists with his hand.

Remus had hoped to comfort Ava until his friends arrived, but his gesture seemed to work better than expected. Color returned to her face and her body relaxed. She slowly gazed up and flashed him a warm smile. Happiness and warmth seemed to radiate from the girl in front of him, causing the werewolf to return her grin. His eyebrows rose in surprise when Ava loosened her fist and turned her hand over to lace her fingers with his own.

Looking up at Remus beneath her lashes, Ava sat forward in her seat while tugging slightly on his hand and asked, "Hey, Remus?" in a husky voice that made his mouth go dry.

He swallowed. "Yeah, Ava?"

Her grip tightened on his hand suddenly and she pulled back from him with wide eyes. She was clutching the hand that was just intertwined with his to her chest. "Don't _touch_ me," she snapped before vacating the table as quickly as possible.

With bewilderment written all over his face, Remus turned to Lily and quietly asked, "What just happened?"

The red haired witch shook her head and said, "I have no idea, Remus." After another moment, she added, "But it seems like she really don't want you to touch her."

The werewolf visibly flinched, and replayed the scene in his mind, trying to understand. After connecting the dots, he grimaced and began to forcefully stab his breakfast sausage onto his fork. With a deep frown etched on his face, Remus thought, _Of course, you idiot. She knows you're a werewolf. No one would want a monster to touch them. It's no wonder she freaked out when James and Sirius didn't show up. She's afraid to be alone with me_. He could feel Moony whimper in the background. _No. Shut up. She doesn't want anything to do with us…She deserves better anyway_, he concluded with a miserable sigh.

* * *

Avalynn shoved her way through the latecomers at the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Oi! Quit your pushing!" a familiar voice bellowed.

With tears in her eyes, Ava cleared a path to her friend. Sirius and James were walking together, just trying to make their way to breakfast, but paused when they noticed Ava. Her lost expression and shining eyes made it feel like someone had punched them in the gut.

Sirius reached out to her, but she turned away. Her resulting glare caused confused frowns to form on the boys' faces. "You weren't there," she said in a trembling voice. Just as James opened his mouth to question her, Ava continued. "You weren't there, and I needed you." Without allowing her friends to respond, the witch stormed off in the crowd, leaving the boys' feeling somewhat useless even though they didn't understand the full meaning of her words yet. It wasn't until they sat down at the Gryffindor table and heard the tale from Remus and Lily that Ava's words made any sense. James and Sirius gave each other looks full of guilt.

"I'm sure you'll find her later and work it all out, right?" Remus commented in a clipped tone that surprised his friends.

* * *

By the time Avalynn reached the Transfiguration classroom, she was able to calm down and her crying subsided. The witch's solitary trek through the corridors allowed her to process the emotions overwhelming her mind, and Ava didn't quite like what she found. It was rather apparent that she couldn't trust herself around Remus, and she was mortified by her behavior. The idea of her body reacting without her permission felt unsettling and perverse. What had just happened in the Great Hall reinforced Ava's determination to ignore her connection with Remus. It was too much of a distraction and completely unfair to impose such a controlling force upon the unsuspecting werewolf. While her magic clearly thought that her love life should be a priority, Ava knew that researching a way home and acclimating to the Wizarding World were the tasks she should focus on. The witch came to the conclusion that she needed to stay as far away from Remus and the Marauders as possible. She could just imagine the protestations from Sirius and James, trying to convince her to give the werewolf a chance, and her will was wearing thin as it was. Thinking back on her actions, Ava cringed at the blame she laid upon James and Sirius. They weren't late on purpose, and she probably shouldn't have been so short with them before running away. _Doesn't matter_, she thought harshly. _I'm staying away from them and Remus anyway._

The witch absentmindedly followed her classmates into the room and tried to give her aunt a smile that more than likely came out as a grimace. With a sigh, she plopped down in the same desk as the other day and took out her supplies for the lesson. Fortunately, the spells required Ava's full concentration, relegating thoughts of her precarious connection with Remus to the back of her mind. While Professor McGonagall made her rounds up and down the rows of desks, she paused to casually remind Ava of her first year exam the next day and gave the girl a questioning look at the lack of an enthusiastic response. At the end of the class, Ava made to leave the room with her head ducked, avoiding eye contact with her aunt, but she couldn't blatantly ignore the stern tone that called her name.

Turning and approaching the professor's desk, she asked, "Yes, Aunt Minerva?"

"I noticed that you were a little…withdrawn during our lesson today. Is everything alright?"

Ava pressed her lips together and nodded slowly, debating if she should reveal the latest development in her soulmate link to Remus.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes. "If you say so, but please bare in mind that if you are ever needing someone to confide in, I'm here, Ava."

Relieved that the professor wasn't going to push the issue, the younger witch nodded quickly and scampered out of the room. Now that she was a few minutes behind the rest of the students heading to lunch, Ava paused in the empty corridor, considering whether or not she actually wanted to eat in the Great Hall. Without much deliberation, she turned and headed in the opposite direction to the staircase that would lead her down to the Kitchens. _I do_ not _want another "drunken love" episode happening. This last time was stronger than before too, so who knows what'll happen even if Sirius and James are there_, she thought. As Ava descended the stairs she realized that eating in the Kitchens would be useful other than just as a way to avoid Remus because she'd be able to study more and maybe even actually practice some spells. She grinned to herself at the idea of taking Kingsley by surprise next week during their tutoring lesson.

After politely asking Flopsy to fix her plate of the food already being served in the Great Hall, Ava ate her lunch as she worked her way through the theoretical explanation of the defensive spells she practiced with Kingsley the night before. The witch was just finishing her meal when the telltale flicker of pain sparked in her chest. With a huff of annoyance, Ava bookmarked her textbook page and began to dig through her schoolbag for the pain potion that she was beginning to loathe. The taste wasn't so bad, but it was a constant reminder of the connection to Remus, and she hated being dependent on the potion.

The uncomfortable sensation behind Ava's ribs unexpectedly increased from a small burning ember of pain to a full-fledged fire, eliciting a startled yelp from the girl. She nearly dropped her bag, but increased her grip and hurriedly searched for the vial. Her face was scrunched up in pain as she noticed multiple sets of large, round eyes watching her movements. Finally making contact with the cool glass, she snatched the potion from the bag and downed it in a second. Ava took big gulps of air, trying to settle her nerves, as she glanced around the room. A not so small gathering of house elves was eyeing the recovering witch.

"What are you all looking at?" she grumbled under her breath.

"All of yous back to work!" a tiny voice yelled out.

Ava peeked up to see a concerned looking Flopsy making her way over the to table. Before the witch could even open her mouth, the elf asked, "Are you okay Missus McGonagall?" With a nod from the girl, Flopsy's expression turned hard. "Please tell me if Is is mistaken Missus, but Professors McGonagall doesn't know about yous getting worse, does she?"

Startled by the stern voice in which the diminutive elf spoke to her, Ava gulped before attempting to placate Flopsy. "It's really not that bad. I just have to make sure to take the potion fast enough, and everything's fine." The house elf's face softened but she didn't look completely convinced, so the witch continued. "Please, Flopsy, don't worry Aunt Minerva other this. She's been so kind to me since I've arrived here, and I don't want to burden her further. I'll tell her if it gets any worse though if that makes you feel any better." Flopsy nodded firmly with a grunt of approval before disappearing back into the kitchen.

With a sigh of relief, Ava sat back in her chair and tidied her table which had been bumped a few times during the struggle to find the pain potion. After she checked her wristwatch and saw that lunch had twenty minutes remaining, she resumed reading the Defense textbook, slightly miffed that she wouldn't have time to practice the spells. A little while before the lunch period ended, Ava left for History of Magic class with an internal groan. Looking on the bright side, the class may be boring beyond belief, but it gave her extra time to studying. The oldest first-year student settled into her desk and took out her Potions book instead of the required text, specifically reading through the table of contents and index to locate all information regarding pain potions. Only about fifteen minutes later, Ava slammed her Potions textbook with a growl, startling the younger students seated around her. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath, mentally talking herself down. _It's fine, don't worry. It's just the first-year book anyway, it's not like eleven and twelve year olds have much use for advanced information on extra strength pain potions_. She briefly tuned into Professor Binns' lesson before deciding that her time would be better spent reading through her Potions book anyway. Snape was likely to quiz her later that night during their tutoring meet-up and then again in the Potions lab too. She reopened her Potions text with the hope that their experiments would prove fruitful because, to be honest, she was a little worried about the physical part of her connection to Remus getting worse.

The remaining time in History of Magic and then the following lesson in Astronomy passed slowly for Ava. Professor Gestirn merely had the students partner up to review their homework from the other night, and since she had assistance from Regulus, the wizard with years of experience hadn't let her make any mistakes. Helping her partner with corrections didn't make the class go by any faster either, but eventually it was over. Finding herself with a free hour before dinner, the persistent witch headed to the library, making her way to the study spot she shared with Snape. The table bathed in sunlight was already occupied by the Slytherin, and upon remembering his comment from last time, Ava silently approached, sat down, and took out her supplies for Defense and Charms. It wasn't until nearly five minutes later when Snape spoke.

"Well, you've proven that at least _some_ Gryffindors can learn manners."

She looked up from reading the theory behind the first-year Defense spells Kingsley taught her and gave Snape a small smile. "I try." Amusement briefly flashed across his face before he resumed writing his essay. Still smiling, Ava returned to her own studying. It wasn't until she opened the third year Charms textbook that Snape spoke again.

"You're already on third year Charms?" he asked with both eyebrows raised.

The witch merely shrugged and said, "I'm just trying to catch up as quickly as I can."

The Slytherin cleared his throat. "Well, it seems that you are doing well so far." Ava's head whipped up to look at him, surprised that he would pay her a compliment of any sort. Snape's eyes narrowed at the witch trying to hold back a smile. "Let's just hope you can do the same with Potions."

No longer able to keep back a grin, Ava shook her head knowingly, but kept her mouth shut. When it came time for the pair to attend dinner in the Great Hall, the witch hesitantly asked Snape if he would like to join her in the Kitchens, and her relieved sigh was audible when he replied in the affirmative. On their way downstairs, Ava told Snape of her progress in each of her classes before the wizard asked if Ava was still intending to work with him in the Potions lab after the meal.

She frowned, but nodded. "Of course I will. I said I would, didn't I?" she asked in an annoyed tone. The Slytherin grumbled something about flighty Gryffindors, causing Ava to firmly tell him that she doesn't break her word or promises. Dinner passed uneventfully as Avalynn and Snape ate in a comfortable silence while reading through their respective textbooks.

* * *

For the umpteenth time, James turned to the giant doors of the dining hall, hoping to see Avalynn waltzing through them. However, it seemed that she wouldn't be making an appearance for this meal as well.

Lily noticed the wizard's gaze. "I'm sure she's just fine James. She probably just needs some alone time," she tried to reassure him.

He nodded, but turned to Sirius. His friend looked back at him with a troubled expression, indicating that he didn't know what to do either. When Ava had skipped lunch, they briefly discussed looking for her, but decided to give her some space. Now that she's missed a second meal, it was becoming more difficult for the two boys to keep their distance. But it wasn't like they could pull out the Marauder's Map in the middle of the Great Hall, so their investigation into Ava's whereabouts would have to wait until later.

* * *

As Avalynn and Snape made their way to the dungeons, the Slytherin pestered the poor girl with rudimentary Potions questions. Even though Ava knew that he was just trying to ascertain her preparedness for actually brewing a potion, it was starting to grate on her nerves. Before she could snap at Snape to stop, they arrived at the Potions lab, causing her excitement to bubble up uncontrollably.

The witch grasped onto Snape's arm and gave it a slight squeeze. "Thank you for letting me come with you," she told him with a smile. "And for helping me try to make a stronger potion."

With a raised brow, he looked down to where Ava's hand was latched onto him. "I'm beginning to reconsider my offer."

She smiled, but released his arm. "Nonsense, I bet you're looking forward to experimenting as much as I am. Even though, it may be for different reasons." Ava was under no illusions that Snape most likely didn't want to help her out of the goodness of his heart, but she wasn't holding it against him.

The Potions lab was through an unmarked door of the Potions classroom, and the Slytherin led Ava towards a work station that had the most basic materials already set up. He ordered that she stay put while he gathered the ingredients, which didn't take too long, and then Snape began instructing Ava on how to prepare each ingredient they would need. It was obvious that he gave her the easiest ones to prepare, but she understood since it was only her first time brewing a potion. Ava was familiar with the theory of slicing and dicing and whatnot, but it was a bit different when the ingredient was slimy or prickly and you had to figure out a way to work around that. Thankfully, Snape was rather patient with her lack of skills, but it probably helped that she actually listened and therefore improved with each step.

Most of the conversation consisted of Snape critiquing Ava's techniques, but he startled the witch at the mention of going to get the test rat. "The what now?" she exclaimed.

Speaking slowly, as if to a child, Snape repeated, "The test rat. We need something to test the potion on before you can safely consume it." With a frown, Ava opened her mouth to protest, but the wizard cut her off. "We are _experimenting_ here, McGonagall. Do you really want to be the first subject to test a potion that's brand new? Now, I've already thought ahead with my specific alterations to the potion, but any number of things could happen that I haven't foreseen."

"Like what?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "I don't know, how about the potion reacting badly with your stomach acid and eating through the lining? Or if it doesn't even make it that far and is too acidic for even your esophagus?" Ava grimaced. "Or all of your hair could fall out?" He had to keep from smiling when the girl reached up to her hair as if to check that it was still there. "Or it could cause a seizure, or any number of other things." Without waiting for a response, Snape left the room with his robes billowing behind him, forcing a chuckle from Ava. When he returned with the squeaking test rat, she tried her best to not acknowledge its presence. The wizard began to heat the cauldron and spoke each step he was taking aloud to Ava, explaining why he did each a certain way. For example, the base of the potion should be instantly heated, rather than slowly heated, which is why he lit the fire under the cauldron and waited before adding any ingredients.

After a few minutes of Snape meticulously measuring and adding ingredients to the simmering cauldron, he announced that it needed to brew for another two hours before they were to let it cool. Ava knew from reading about the potions used in the first-year curriculum that potions usually took several hours to brew, so she knew to bring some studying materials with her. However, the witch was tired of just reading about the spells, and felt the need to actually practice some. Stepping several feet away from the work tables, Ava brandished her wand and began to try performing the rest of the first-year Defense spells that she hadn't learned from Kingsley. It was rather obvious to Snape what Ava was attempting to do, even more so that she needed a partner. Rolling his eyes, he stood up from the stool he had been using and approached the Gryffindor.

"You'd do a lot better if you had an opponent," he told Ava.

She hesitated, knowing that the Slytherin was quite skilled, and accidentally allowed fear to flash across her face briefly.

Snape saw the emotion, but assumed it was because he was a seventh-year student while she wasn't well versed in defensive spells yet. He had no inkling that it was because Ava knew how formidable of a wizard he would become. "I'll adjust my spells appropriately for your skill level, Ava. I know that you're just starting to practice magic. I'm not an idiot." At her nod, Snape cast a protective bubble around the cauldron just in case any of their spells rebounded.

He most certainly wasn't as easy on Ava as Kingsley was, so she was covered in sweat and panting within minutes. Looking back on it, she should've known that it was inevitable for Snape's natural teaching attitude to emerge. Ava made the mistake of pausing to wipe sweat off her face, and the Slytherin used her own distraction to throw a spell at her which emitted harmless green sparks. However, they stung a tiny bit and were rather startling. When she yelped in surprise, instead of apologizing, he snap at her for being stupid and foolish enough to let her guard down. Her jaw dropped and eyes widened after his outburst, but the expression that the future professor bore was too much for Ava to handle and she let out a laugh.

On the other hand, Snape didn't think the situation was as humorous as the witch did. He was afraid for a moment that he had offended her, but now it felt as though she was laughing at him. Spotting the anger in the wizard's eyes, Ava quickly attempted to use _Impedimenta_ to slow him down, but it wasn't nearly powerful enough. He responded with an _Expelliarmus_ that knocked Ava to the ground, on her ass and she felt her wand start to slip, but she managed to tighten her grip on it. This time, Snape did feel that he reacted poorly since his spell was stronger than he meant for it to be and based upon his friend's face, it wasn't too pleasant being thrown to the ground. He lowered his wand and stepped towards Ava, beginning to apologize, intending on helping her up from the floor. However, seeing the Slytherin's guard drop, Avalynn cast _Expelliarmus_, successfully summoning Snape's wand from his hand.

Freezing in place, it took the wizard a moment to register what had just happened. Snape begrudgingly felt something akin to respect bubbling up in his feelings for the Gryffindor. He shook his head and gave Ava a half-hearted sneer as he snatched back his wand. Instead of taking his position on the other side of the room, he stood next to her and explained that it would be more fun if he taught her more spells. For the rest of the two hours, Snape instructed Ava on the wand movements and incantations for _Locomotor_ _Wibbly_, _Locomotor_ _Mortis, Rictusempra, and Tarantallegra_. When the timer for checking the potion had gone off on Snape's wand, he realized that teaching Ava Defensive spells was taking longer than he had planned.

As he walked up to the work table to finish up the experimental potion, he off-handedly said, "We can continue our pseudo-dueling tomorrow while our next attempt brews."

Ava had to keep in her squeal of excitement, but then frowned, realizing Snape's comment showed that he assumed tonight's potion wouldn't be their last. "Do you think the potion won't work?" she asked as she too approached to work table.

Snape scoffed. "It could take us months or even years to create the kind of potion you're asking for." The worry that crossed Ava's face caused him to narrow his eyes at the witch as he doused the flame beneath the cauldron.

Ava felt a flicker of pain behind her sternum and rubbed it absentmindedly, not even considering what it might indicate since her thoughts were so focused on the potion they had created. Snape cast a spell to siphon some of potion into a glass vial before using a dropper to feed a small amount of the liquid to the test rat. Ava grimaced and felt guilty, hoping that nothing as Snape described would happen to the poor little guy. "We'll need to wait at least twenty-four hours to monitor the rat and any possible side effects the potion may have on it," Snape began to explain. He opened his mouth to continue, but was cut off by a groan of pain coming from the witch standing beside him. Looking to her in confusion, he asked, "McGonagall? Everything alright?"

The pain increasing in Ava's chest wouldn't allow her to be quiet any longer, and she knew it would only get worse. Ignoring Snape's question, she strode over to her schoolbag and began to desperately search for another vial of the pain potion, even though she remembered only packing one this morning. The one she had consumed during lunch. She whipped around to face the Slytherin with her arms wrapped around herself. "You wouldn't happen to have any pain potions on you right now, would you?" she gritted out as a wave of magic increased the pressure inside her ribs, forcing her to reach out and steady herself on the worktable.

For the first time in a long time, Severus Snape felt worry for another person. Someone whose company he had grown to appreciate in a mere week was in pain and in need of his help, but he didn't know what to do. He hated not knowing what to do. He spoke quickly as he approached Ava. "Is this the condition that you mentioned? What do you need?"

Ava nodded and whimpered as the painful sensation began to spread out further than just her chest. "I need a pain potion. Or you could send a Patronus to Pomfrey," she said as her body slumped to the ground. The fact that Ava seemed to let herself collapse and tears began to gather in the witch's eyes were enough to send Snape into a panic.

"I don't know how to cast a Patronus, Ava!" he shouted. He crouched down to the floor and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving his best attempt at comfort. However, Avalynn merely whimpered and began to withdraw into herself and the overwhelming pain that her magic was choosing to inflict.

Snape's eyes darted around the room and his mind raced. He knew that all stores of pain potions were kept in the Hospital Wing once they were brewed, and he daren't think of leaving Ava to fend for herself while he ran for help. Who knew what condition she would be in once he returned? His eyes landed on the worktable, honing in on the vial containing the test pain potion they had brewed that night. He clenched his jaw and looked down to Ava, alarmed to see that her condition hadn't subsided, but appeared to worsen.

The witch managed to peek her eyes open enough to see a blurry Snape hovering over her. "Just give me the potion we made," she said just before gasping in pain. Ava's eyes fluttered shut and her body went limp.

"Shit!" Snape cursed before he hurried across the room, gasped the potion, and returned to Ava's side. Pushing aside his worries of impropriety and social awkwardness, he pulled the witch half onto his lap and cradled her head in one hand, tilting it back. Upon opening Ava's mouth, Snape quickly poured the experimental pain potion into it, clinging to the hope that it would be enough. Once the future Potions Master massaged her throat and determined that the potion had indeed been swallowed, he cast _Rennervate_.

Ava woke with a gasp and her eyes widened once she realized her position in Snape's arms. Just a moment later, the witch let out an "Oomph!" as she was unceremoniously dropped to the floor.

"Do you have any idea what you just put me through, witch!?" the Slytherin yelled as he paced around the Potions lab. "I understood that you had a condition, but bloody hell, Ava." He stopped to look at her. "I have the distinct feeling that I just saved your life. That potion has not been fully tested though, and could have very well killed you just as easily as it helped you." The guilt on her face was very apparent, causing his rage to soften minutely. "That cannot happen again. You must always keep doses of pain potion with you. I will not be responsible for your well-being like that again. Do you understand?" Ava met his eyes, nodding silently. "Good. Now, if we are to continue our tutoring sessions and potion experimentations, I need to not be kept in the dark any longer. What exactly is the cause of your…?"

"We call them episodes," Ava said, looking at the floor. She hadn't intended on bringing the Slytherin into her confidence quite yet, but it seemed like he wasn't going to let this issue drop. She figured that in order to gain his trust at some point, she would need to show that she trusted him as well.

Snape quirked an eyebrow. "We?"

The witch nodded, still avoiding his eyes. "Professor McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, Sirius, and James." She risked a glance at Snape's face and saw that he wasn't surprised in the slightest. He nodded, gesturing for her to continue her explanation. Ava sighed. "There's a lot more to this whole fucked up situation than you realize. I can't tell you too much without a Wizard's Oath from you first." The wizard frowned and opened his mouth to argue, but Ava cut him off. "The oath is to make sure you don't spread my secrets around, but it's also to protect you from accidentally revealing anything and becoming a target since you'd know those secrets."

To say that Snape was intrigued would be an understatement. It might not be the wisest course of action, but he wanted to know what kind of secrets Avalynn McGonagall had that would require such an oath from him. He nodded, causing the witch to let out a breath of relief. After incanting the oath, Snape took a seat in a chair and motioned for Ava to do the same. Embarrassed with the realization that she was still sitting on the floor, she quickly pushed herself up, dragged a chair closer to Snape, and sat down. She took a deep breath and began. "This is going to sound absolutely insane, but bear with me, okay?" With raised eyebrows, Snape merely nodded and silently absorbed Ava's story over the next hour or so.

Once the witch finished her far-fetched, but seemingly possible, tale, Snape abruptly stood from his chair and began pacing the room once more. Startled, Ava asked, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" he mimicked with a sneer. He let out a bitter laugh. "What's wrong is that the only other true friend that I've seemed to make, besides Regulus, is tangled up in the Marauders' bullshit once again." He stopped to look at Ava with cold eyes. "To make matters worse, you're bound to that disgusting monster."

Ava sucked in a breath and covered her mouth with her hand. Tears began to pool in her eyes. "How-how could you say something like that about Remus?"

Snape stormed over to where she was still sitting and snarled, "How could I? What about them? What about your _dear_ Remus? The _werewolf_ who almost _killed_ me?!"

Her stomach dropped to the floor. _Shit. Shit! How could I have forgotten about that?!_ Snape opened his mouth to continue ranting, but Ava beat him to it. "I swear, Severus, Remus would _never_ intentionally hurt you, or anyone. I know Sirius is a real asshole, but please keep in mind that Remus isn't fully in control of himself. And didn't James try to stop you?"

He glared as he said, "But of course, how could I forget Saint Potter coming to the rescue? But with your beastly soulmate out of control, he doesn't belong here."

Ava couldn't help the tears that began to run down her face. She must have forgotten how ruthless and cutting Snape could be with his words. Did he not just listen to her explain the magical pull to Remus and how difficult she found this whole soulmate situation to be?

"He belongs in Azkaban," Snape finished, chest heaving.

Ava let out a strangled sob as she wrapped her arms around herself. "You can't mean that. It wasn't his fault," she said while shaking her head in disbelief. The mere thought of Remus being taken away from her physically hurt.

Seeing the devastation upon Ava's face at the suggestion of the werewolf being hauled off to the wizarding jail did nothing to dissuade Snape from pouring salt into the wounds that his words had created. "With your assumed beloved behind bars, you wouldn't have to worry about his probable rejection of your feelings. I doubt a senseless creature would feel the magical connection between the two of you anyhow."

Crying earnestly, Ava blubbered out, "Why are you saying such cruel things, Snape? I thought we were friends." This wasn't turning out like Ava had planned at all.

"We were," he stated tersely before turning to storm out of the lab, leaving Avalynn sitting there in shock and drenched by her own tears. She couldn't even find the humor in Snape's black robes billowing around him as he vanished through the door.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I know this is shorter than usual, but when I wrote the last line, I just felt like it should end there. I've got more coming, don't worry :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 15**

Severus Snape was sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, his dark eyes scanning the Gryffindor table. It had been a week since he lashed out at Avalynn and stormed out of the Potions lab without looking back. He was looking for the witch's typical messy bun or braid, even though he knew it was useless. He hadn't seen her all week in the dining hall, and only caught glimpses of her in the library. It wasn't like he was concerned for Ava's well-being or anything like that, no, definitely not. He just wanted to make sure the witch wouldn't do anything foolish after their argument. At least that's what he told himself. Besides, didn't he have the responsibility to check after her since she ingested an experimental potion that he created? Having the week to cool down and reflect on his words and actions, Snape felt like a complete asshole. _Ava divulged all of her secrets to me, exposing herself emotionally, and what did I do?_ he grumbled internally. _I attacked her, without thinking of the consequences._ He couldn't help but compare the situation to that which lost him Lily's friendship. He was truly upset with someone else and directed his anger at the wrong person. Snape let his hatred of the Marauders and his fear of the werewolf cloud his judgment following Ava's retelling of her story. In that moment, he just couldn't see beyond the fact that the witch sitting in front of him was magically bound to the creature that had almost killed him.

However, from what the Slytherin had observed that week, Ava was steering clear of the Marauders as well. That was especially evident the last two days. In the classes that the seventh-year Gryffindors shared with the Slytherins, Snape noticed Black and Potter watching him with narrowed eyes. He scoffed, knowing that Ava's avoidance of the Marauders had nothing to do with him and everything to do with them. Even though the Gryffindor idiots weren't currently looking in his direction, Snape sent his hardest glower across the Great Hall, cursing their inane ability to steal his friends away from him. His glare softened with that thought. He hadn't realized how attached he'd become to the new Gryffindor witch. Maybe it wouldn't hurt for him to try a little harder to locate the girl. _She probably can't stand the sight of you now,_ he thought harshly. But the memory of Ava curled up on the stone floor of the Potions lab flashed before his mind. Her painful whimper resounded in his ears.

Snape's dazed look caused Regulus to bump his shoulder. "You alright, mate?" he whispered. Seeing that Severus was jolted from his thoughts, Regulus asked, "What's got your head in the clouds anyway?", before taking another bite of his lunch.

Snape pressed his lips together in deliberation. If anyone were to understand his precarious friendship with Ava due to her proximity with the Marauders, it would be Regulus. "McGonagall and I may have gotten into an argument last week, and I haven't seen much of her since."

The younger Slytherin's eyebrows rose. "Well, she's shown up to two Astronomy lessons this week, but she was looking a little worse for wear this last time."

Snape's gaze whipped to his friend's. "How so?"

Regulus shrugged. "She had pretty dark circles under her eyes, and they were puffy and red, like she had been crying." He grimaced. "I suppose that could've been because of you, Severus." With a sigh, he added, "Look, I'm not going to ask for details of your argument, I know better than that. But, maybe you should think about whether or not Ava really deserved to draw your ire. She's really a nice girl, you know. A little pipsqueak in Gryffindor made a snide comment about me being a part of their lesson the other night since I'm a Slytherin, and I chose to ignore him like we always do with the young ones, but Ava didn't. She stood up for me, and Slytherin as a house, and forced the kid to think about why he was prejudiced against someone he didn't even know."

Snape raised his brows in pleasant surprise. He knew that Ava didn't judge others by their houses, but it was good to see that she continued in that way even after their unpleasant interaction in the Potions lab. "Was there anything else you noticed about her physical appearance or behavior?"

Regulus looked at him with furrowed brows. "Yes, actually. Last night, she was packing up her telescope and nearly dropped it. Good thing I was there because it would've smashed against the floor. I took it from her and saw that her hands were shaking slightly, but she brushed it off as being tired. Not to mention, she looked a little woozy and swayed a bit after carrying everything back down the Astronomy Tower. She just repeated that she was really tired and hadn't eaten that much since breakfast." He narrowed his eyes at the older wizard. "You think there's something else going on, don't you?"

Severus then pulled his bitch face #2 that was blatantly telling Regulus to mind his own business. His friend raised his hands minutely to indicate surrender. Pleased that the younger Slytherin was going to let the subject drop, for now, Snape let his mind ponder over the new information about Ava and he didn't particular care for the answer he found.

* * *

Across the Great Hall, the thoughts of Sirius Black also revolved around the elusive witch they had all begun to care for. Next to him, James kept glancing up at the massive doors, waiting for Ava to make an appearance, but Sirius had given up on her coming into the Great Hall on her own. He and James had used the Marauder's Map to try to pin down the sneaky witch and demand answers from her. She had been clearly avoiding them all week, and even stopped eating in the Kitchens because a couple days ago they were able to corner her there and talk for a few minutes. Sirius rolled his eyes, thinking back on the conversation. It hadn't been helpful at all. Ava was evasive with her responses, causing himself and James to get even more heated. They felt incredibly guilty about leaving Ava to her own devices around Remus at breakfast last week, but now she wouldn't even have a real discussion with them. With their conversation going nowhere, both parties had gotten fed up with each other, and once voices were being raised, Ava again claimed studying as her excuse before she took off running down the corridor. James and Sirius hadn't bothered giving chase since the witch wasn't being honest with them anyway.

They could draw their own conclusions from what happened with Remus during the meal that caused everything to go to shit, but he and James couldn't do any damage control until they knew exactly why Avalynn was refusing to be anywhere near them. James had a theory that Snape had something to do with Ava being so upset because they hadn't seen her spending time with him either. Sirius was getting to the point where he'd skip class to track down the girl. The only reason he hadn't yet was that it was their N.E.W.T.S. year and he knew Mum and Dad wouldn't approve. The witch had been spending more time in her quarters, which they couldn't get into without her opening the door, and Professor McGonagall may not have been privy to all that was going on, but she understood that her niece wasn't willing to be bothered by the Marauders for the time being. They also had class at the same time for the most part, but it was especially difficult for the boys to pinpoint Ava's whereabouts when there were times that she would disappear off the map all together.

* * *

Later that day found Avalynn McGonagall in the library after classes, as per usual for the witch. Even though her friendships were faltering, her drive to learn magic was not. She sat down at a small table in the corner of the library that had become her new study spot, and mentally ran through her classes to determine what homework she should start with. Third-year Charms, second-year Defense or Transfiguration, or first-year Potions, History of Magic, or Astronomy? She wholeheartedly believed that Defense Against the Dark Arts would be the most useful and she wanted to progress faster in that particular subject, so she chose to work on that first. Throughout the essay for Defense, Ava had to keep pausing because her hand would start to shake too much and her writing became too sloppy. She would sigh, assume it was just because she was writing so much and unused to writing with a quill, and resume when her hand felt back to normal. She was nearly finished when a throat cleared, causing her gaze to flicker up from her parchment and see one of the last people she thought would seek her out.

Snape's eyes noticed that slight tremor in Ava's writing hand even though she was trying to hide it. "How many extra strength pain potions are you taking each day?" he asked brusquely. Ava merely looked at him in silence with a dumbfounded expression. He stepped closer to her and repeated the question.

Bewildered by his sudden appearance and demanding questions, Ava dumbly replied, "A few." She shook her head, remembering that Snape had decided that they weren't friends anymore. She voiced this thought aloud and added, "So why would you care anyway?" with furrowed brows.

Snape's expression softened for a moment, which Ava managed to catch, before his face was once more a blank canvas. "I'm merely following up for posterity's sake. For the experimental potion from last week."

With a raised brow, Ava nodded slowly although she knew better. The potion had been out of her system for days at this point, which the Slytherin would definitely be aware of.

Snape let out an annoyed grumble. It was obvious that Avalynn was not going to make this easy on him. He could sense her body tensing when he sat in the chair beside her own, eliciting a sigh from the wizard. "Look," he huffed in exasperation. "I may have been…a little…"

"Harsh, rude, inconsiderate?" Ava suggested, causing Snape to wince.

"Yes, well. I was also blindsided, you know? That's quite a bit of information to drop on someone. I know I can be rather acerbic and impatient, but…"

"Is this an apology?" she asked, trying to save the Slytherin the effort of stumbling over his own words.

Snape's mouth was gaping open at Ava's blunt question. Closing his mouth, he nodded, assuming that the witch was getting ready to send him away.

However, unbeknownst to the wizard, she was desperately trying to contain her excitement. Severus Snape had just come to apologize to her. Snape! Considering his past track record with Lily, Ava could understand why Snape was behaving so skittish and unsure. His words may have been more cruel than necessary, but she was trying to see the situation from his perspective. Even unknowingly, Remus did try to attack him. _Maybe after enough time, I'll change his mind on werewolves. Or at least Remus_, she thought. Ava lightly kicked Snape's chair to make him look up at her, and then she flashed him a smile.

The wizard let out a sigh of relief, both at the thought of not needing to continue groveling and because Ava seemed to accept his apology. However, since it was clear that Ava was receptive to his apology, he returned to the stern future Potions Master from before. "Seriously, Ava. Exactly how often are you consuming an extra strength pain potion?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "About three to four a day, why?"

Snape shot up out of his chair and began to pace. "And you only take one when an episode is beginning? You don't take any preemptively?"

"No, only when I can tell one's about to start," Ava replied quietly. Her wide eyes followed his form, which was pacing even more so now.

"You're hands are shaking and you feel physically drained, correct?" Ava hesitated, so he added, "Don't lie."

"Yeah. I can't write more than a couple of paragraphs before my hands shake too badly. But what does that have to do with anything?" she asked with a frown.

Instead of answering her, Snape responded with another question. "Do you have any other symptoms?"

Indignation flashed across Ava's face. "Why are you being so…?" and she gestured about with her hands, "You know."

Snape stopped his pacing and stormed right up to Ava's face. He slowly repeated himself, "Do you have any other symptoms? And do _not_ lie to me, Ava."

Ava's temper quelled at his seriousness. She gulped. "I've been having a hard time falling asleep." Snape looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything, so the witch continued, "But if I practice spells a whole bunch, then I get tired enough to actually fall asleep."

"What?!" Snape yelled, to which Ava immediately shushed him.

"We're in the library, Severus. Calm down," she said sternly. The Slytherin's brows rose at the use of his given name, but he neglected to comment on it. "Before you start screeching again, let's go somewhere a bit more private." Ava stood and began to pack her schoolbag up without waiting for a response.

"I do not screech," the wizard pouted.

Ava smiled at him. "Of course you don't, dear," she said before turning to leave the library.

Snape merely sneered at Ava's back before following her out into the corridor. He was deciding to trust the witch since she hadn't led him astray before with their trip to the Kitchens. He assumed they were retreating to her quarters, and was surprised when they began to climb several staircases. Both students were breathing heavily by the time they reached the seventh floor. "Where are you taking me?" Severus huffed out.

"Just wait and see," Ava told him with a grin before pacing back and forth in front of the stone wall.

The Slytherin looked on in confusion and startled when a door suddenly appeared. Ava was sure that his face would be priceless upon entering the room, so she waltzed on in before him and turned quickly to see his expression. Amazement, confusion, wonder, confusion, and then finally annoyance flashed across his visage. "What _is_ this place?"

Ava spun around in a circle with her arms stretched out wide and announced, "Welcome to the Room of Requirement!" Now that she was looking around the room, it was obvious the room conjured something different for her and Severus. It wasn't the college living room that Ava had grown accustomed to, but it seemed to be just as cozy. Instead, there was a sofa and a comfy chair by a decent sized fireplace with a coffee table that looked perfect for studying, and there was an open space on the other side of the room with some sort of mat on the floor. It was nondescript enough that Ava couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. "So, the magic of the room basically determines what you need inside the room and creates it for you. I've been in here about a dozen times now, but this is the first time that I'm seeing this particular room. I get that the set-up around the fireplace is for us to study, but what's that for?" She pointed at the mat taking up a large portion of the room.

Snape glanced at the direction Ava's finger was pointing and let out a loud laugh. Ava frowned, so he explained, "It's a dueling mat. Apparently, the room thinks you need more practice in Defense as well."

Ava gave him a snooty look, but said, "Thank you," aloud to the room. She plopped down in the over-sized chair near the fireplace, settling in for the lecture that Severus nearly started in the library. "Well, carry on, oh wise Potions Master."

The Slytherin merely raised an eyebrow at her attitude before explaining his previous reaction. "Based on your symptoms, I'm certain that you are consuming too many potions." The witch opened her mouth to protest, but Severus held up his hand. "You're showing signs of overdosing on certain ingredients that are used in the extra strength pain potion. There are a couple of poisonous plants used in the brewing process, but they're used in such small amounts that it wouldn't affect a person taking the potion a handful of times. However, since you seem to require at least three a day, you are essentially poisoning yourself very slowly." He paused to let that information sink in.

Ava sat back in the chair with a dazed expression and breathed out, "Oh great, I was worried it would be something bad."

The wizard pressed his lips together but carried on, beginning to pace as he spoke. "If you continue down this path, your tremors will only increase and then you'll likely experience painful muscle spasms. The most concerning part is the fact that you are magically draining yourself just to fall asleep."

The inexperienced witch grimaced and in a quiet voice, asked, "And that's bad because?"

Severus let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose as he paused in his pacing. "If your magical core is drained, then your magic will struggle to protect your body from the potion's side effects. Especially since you're consuming more than the recommended amount of those particular ingredients, you need your magic at full strength to help defend your body against the amount of poison entering your bloodstream." Ava's mouth formed an "O." Without any real response from the Gryffindor, Severus resumed pacing and voiced his thoughts aloud. "So, we need to create a potion that will last longer and consists of ingredients that aren't toxic if consumed long term…"

Ava tuned out the Slytherin as he ran through a list of alternative plant and animal parts that could be used and various brewing conditions that could help extend the effects of the potion. She couldn't believe that on top of everything going on, she was accidentally poisoning herself. _C'mon man_, she thought. _Cut me some slack. I'm doing the best I can_. The little voice in the back of Ava's mind disagreed with that statement. She should be doing so much more. Last weekend, she scoured the library with Aunt Minerva, looking for any information pertaining to alternate worlds or a way to travel between them and they found absolutely nothing. Ava felt like such a shit daughter, friend, and dog-owner for pushing that dilemma to the back of her mind all week. _There's only so much I can handle at once_, she bemoaned internally. The witch decided to listen to Severus again since his voice was raising and becoming more frustrated. As soon as she made eye contact with the wizard, he shouted at her, "Why don't you just snog the wolf and see if that helps?"

Raising both brows, Ava calmly replied, "Maybe because a mindless creature couldn't possibly have any real feelings for me?"

His shoulders slumped as he protested, "That's not fair. I apologized."

The witch sighed as she put her head in her hands. "You're right." She looked at Severus. "I'm sorry."

He looked at the girl in bewildered silence. Severus was relieved that she wasn't going to rehash their past argument, but a different kind of panic settled in his chest when Ava's eyes began to tear up. The Slytherin took a seat on the couch, near the chair that Ava was residing in, and gently patted her knee. The witch sniffled and looked at his hand patting her leg for a moment before she let out a wet chuckle. "Thank you, Severus. I appreciate the gesture." It took nearly everything the wizard had not to puff out his chest in pride at the fact that he was able to handle a hysterical witch all on his own.

Shaking her head in amusement, Ava admitted, "I'm so stressed out right now. I'm worried. All the damn time. I'm trying to learn magic so that I can actually be useful in the future, but I'm also trying to find a way home, and I don't know what to do because it's just too much responsibility. Let's say I do find a way home. How am I supposed to leave this world knowing that I could potentially save lives and make it so much better if I just stayed? The worst part is that I'm enjoying myself here too!" Ava stood up from her chair and threw her hands in the air. "I love learning magic! It's amazing! I've only been able to dream of a world like this and now it's right in front of me, and I'm a part of it." She let out a deep sigh and softly asked, "How am I supposed to say no to that?" With a groan of annoyance, she continued, "And now it's my job to save people? Just because I happen to enjoy fantasy books? What the hell, man?"

Severus sucked in a breath at the realization that they hadn't discussed Ava being from another world and having an outsider's perspective on the Wizarding World at all last week because his childish brain was focused on the wrong information and caused him to flee in a panicked rage. With the wizard's reaction to the reminder of her knowing this world from a set of books, Ava prepared herself for a barrage of questions. Last week, she had been careful to skip over the fact that she knows personal information about certain people. She only mentioned knowing major events and places, like Hogwarts.

The Slytherin looked at the otherworldly girl with wide eyes before asking, "So, how exactly does that work? You've read books about the Wizarding World?"

Ava sighed, knowing that she couldn't lie to Severus, or he'd found out and then never trust her. "I had you take the oath for a reason. This is mainly why," she said before launching into a basic explanation of the time line that the books followed. She cautiously walked him through the idea that she knew information about certain people because of her insight from reading the books.

With narrowed eyes, Severus asked, "Am I to assume that I'm one of those people?" Ava hesitantly nodded. He took several deep breaths with his nostrils flared before settling. He was understandably upset that the witch might know personal things about himself, but he could also acknowledge the fact that she isn't the kind of person to use secrets for her own gain.

The Gryffindor didn't want to upset him further, but she had to ask. "Severus," she began softly. "Have you met with someone called the Dark Lord?" He couldn't hide the genuine shock behind his mask of indifference this time. He nodded dumbly before Ava asked another distressing question. "I swear on my magic that your answer will not affect my opinion of you as a person, but are you a Death Eater?" His eyes widened in realization that she truly did know dangerous information, and the wizard stretched out his left arm, slowly pulling back his sleeve to reveal his pale, unmarked arm.

"Thank God," Ava breathed out with a smile.

With a grimace, Severus said, "I'm supposed to take the Mark after graduation."

The witch groaned and flopped back on the couch, muttering about her plans needing to be fast tracked. She nonchalantly said, "As soon as I'm strong enough to hold my own, I'm defeating Voldemort once and for all." Severus scoffed and then started laughing, for quite a while, before he realized that Ava had propped her head up to look at him. She wasn't smiling and was wearing the most serious expression he had seen on her. "I'm not joking. He needs to be stopped before the war escalates."

The Slytherin frowned. "What war?"

Sitting forward, with her elbows on her knees, Ava explained, "A war is going to start soon, Voldemort and his Death Eaters against pretty much everyone else, but it won't be out in the open for a while. I'd like to stop it before it even gets that far."

Shaking his head, Severus said, "I doubt the Dark Lord is going to launch a full blown war against the Ministry."

"Think about it like this, then. A small group of radicals slowly grows, but when the government and majority of citizens don't agree with their beliefs, it becomes a sort of political war. But then, taking over is more difficult than the radicals initially imagined and they find that their leader, this 'Dark Lord', is willing to even commit murder in order to take over the government. Some of those radicals have been waiting for a moment like this. To be violent without consequences. Then imagine too, that this leader has his own agenda. Yeah, he may push for Pureblood customs and laws that favor Purebloods and Halfbloods over Muggleborns, but he also wants to eradicate Muggles, which then extends to Muggleborns as time goes on. Not only that, but he wants to live forever, so he creates these objects that hold a piece of his soul so that even if he physically dies, his soul won't. And let's say that he creates a handful of these objects, splitting his soul and mind into multiple pieces. How stable do you think this leader will be? Do you think he'll care if people die because they're in his way of power? Do you think he'll stop when the government opposes him, or when a vigilante organization is formed to combat his members?" She paused. "Because I'll tell you right now that he won't. He wouldn't hesitate to commit mass murder if that's what allowed him power and eternal life."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Severus spoke. "Are you saying that the Dark Lord has made Horcruxes?"

Surprise flashed across Ava's face. "Oh good, you know what they are. That'll save some explaining."

The wizard balked at her easy-going tone. "And you said he's created more than one?" he asked, his voice becoming higher pitched. "How can you be so calm?"

Ava smiled. "Because we have time. And he has no idea that I exist and that I'm coming for him," she said with a dangerous gleam in her eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: 
> 
> It’s great to hear what everyone is enjoying or not completely on board with, just let me know in a review :)
> 
> Don’t forget: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K. Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 16**

Avalynn thought that the Slytherin looked startled by the vehemence in her voice as she declared that Voldemort was her target. To be fair, it wasn't like she had any personal ties to the monster of a wizard. None other than the fact that he was the main tormentor of her favorite book series while growing up. As a fictional character, sure, he sucked, but as an actual, real person? The world would be better off without him. The tears Ava shed while consuming the novels only solidified her need to prevent the future from occurring as it was currently headed. Lily and James would live long, full lives with their son. Sirius and Remus wouldn't be left to suffer alone and haunted by their friends' deaths. Sirius would not be spending twelve years in Azkaban. Harry wouldn't have to live in a cupboard under the stairs or be neglected by his relatives. He could grow up with his family, and no one would be taken from him. Not Sirius. Not Hedwig or Mad-Eye. Not Remus and Tonks. Not Fred. Not to mention all the others that were lost during the Battle of Hogwarts and the First Wizarding War, like Gideon and Fabian Prewett or Regulus. Letting out a shaky breath, Ava turned her attention to Severus.

"Done plotting?" he asked.

"When it comes time, I will tell you everything. And I mean _everything_. But for now, I just need to be more proficient at magic."

Severus stood from his perch on the sofa and said, "Then I suggest that we get to work," before tilting his head towards the dueling mat that the Room of Requirement had provided for them.

As a warm-up, the Slytherin had Ava perform first year Defense spells, like _Locomotor Wibbly, Rictusempra_, and _Tarantallegra_. Of course, the spells never actually landed on the wizard, causing a pout to form on Ava's face each time. _What a sight it would be to see him dancing around uncontrollably, or laughing his ass off_, she thought. This week, with Kingsley, and on her own, Ava had learned the second-year Defense spells as well, so she practiced casting _Flipendo, Incarcerous_, a Tripping Jinx, and _Colloshoo_, which was rather fun to say in her opinion. Once Severus was able to see that the witch could perform each spell correctly, it was time to put those skills into action. Ava's trouble was that she instinctively stood her ground, which became exceedingly difficult as Severus moved around the mat like a spinning top. She hadn't learned any shielding spells yet, so her best chance was to constantly move, duck, twist, or jump to avoid the spells that were flying at her. With sweat dripping into her eyes, Ava shouted, "You're going a lot harder on me this time."

Severus merely raised an eyebrow before firing two spells at her in quick succession. With a squeal of fright, she dove out of the way, ducking her head, only to have him defeat her with an _Expelliarmus_. "If you truly wish to cast at the level you need to be in order to follow through with your foolish ideas, then I need to be harder on you." As he handed Ava back her wand, he added, "It's the only way you'll learn."

Without waiting for a response, he settled into position to begin again. The witch rolled her eyes. "Just give me a second," she told him, shrugging out of her robes. Sure, she felt kind of like a superhero in a cape with her robes fluttering around her as she dueled, but they were much too hot and cumbersome. Feeling like she could breathe again, Ava turned to Severus, raising her eyebrows and expecting him to do the same.

"I prefer to duel fully clothed, as that is how I will more than likely be dressed if a dangerous situation arises," he said with a blank face. The witch stared at him for a brief moment before letting out an exasperated groan and shoving her arms back into her stifling robes. Even though Severus didn't say anything else, Ava could see the barely concealed smirk from across the room. With a grunt of annoyance, she launched her attack, flinging every spell she had learned at the obnoxious wizard. He dodged and deflected the spells quickly, but Ava's temper flared and she continued casting as she stomped closer and closer to the Slytherin. The rapid fire spells bounced off of Severus' shield with a hiss and sizzle due to the short range in which they were being cast. Noting this side effect, Ava sent red sparks flying into his shield, causing a light layer of smoke to form in front of her opponent. Seizing her chance, the Gryffindor ran to the side of the wizard and cast _Expelliarmus_, with her hand outstretched, expecting his wand to make an appearance. Confused, Ava frowned at her hand and then looked up to see that the smoke had cleared, revealing Severus with a bored look about him.

With a sigh, he explained, "While your speed and…determination are commendable, you were still only throwing simple spells at me, Ava. And your magical strength should increase as your skills do." The witch crossed her arms and a slight pout formed on her face. "Every now and then, I suspect that those lower year spells would come in handy, purely for their unexpected use in a duel, but it's going to be quite some time before you're able to best me. If you ever get to my level of expertise, that is," he finished with not so subtle smirk. Knowing that she couldn't take him by surprise with magic, Ava settled for giving him a good smack on the arm, drawing an undignified yelp from the wizard who was now rubbing his arm and glaring at her.

Deciding to take a water break, the witch mentally asked the Room for some water, and in the next second a pitcher full of ice water and two glasses appeared on the coffee table. After drinking their first glasses in comfortable silence, Ava hesitantly asked, "So, how much, um, interaction have you had with Voldemort and his followers?"

The Slytherin's dark eyes glazed over and he muttered, "Enough to know that the future you paint isn't exactly far-fetched." Ava gulped and didn't dig any further, as she wasn't sure that she really wanted to know the details. After another minute, the pair continued dueling, but they would pause every now and then, with Severus giving Ava critique on her body movement or spell casting. Ava proved herself to Severus as a quick learner since her spell casting was forcing him to duck and dodge out of her way towards the end of their session. Soon, they were both panting and exhausted, so the wizard and witch sat down to work on the intellectual level of magic. Ava focused on reviewing for the third-year Charms test, as well as the second-year Defense test, the two subjects she seemed to excel at. Severus spent his time pondering over potential alterations to the pain potion that would eliminate the ingredients that Ava was being over-exposed to and contemplated ingredients that would have longer lasting effects, considering that their first experiment from last week hadn't lasted any longer than the ones from Pomfrey, according to Ava.

Upon hearing a loud grumble from Ava's stomach, the academically absorbed pair realized it was dinner time. Severus began to pack up his schoolbag, but Ava stopped him. "The Room can conjure what we need, remember?" The Slytherin looked at her skeptically. A moment later, a small table appeared, fully set for two people. "See?" Ava said with a smile. Walking over to the table, the wizard could see that the food closely resembled the food they would usually be served in the Great Hall. Noticing Severus' face, Ava said, "You can't just create food, right? But you can certainly take food that already exists." She sat down and prepared to eat, gesturing for the Slytherin to do the same.

Severus chewed his first bite cautiously and said, "It tastes normal."

Ava laughed. "Of course it does. You may not be familiar with this room, but it's still a part of the same castle that you've been living in for the past seven years. Hogwarts would never hurt her students." After this statement, their attention was drawn to the fireplace when the wood suddenly crackled and the fire flared up momentarily, causing a wave of warmth to settle over them. Severus' eyes were wide, but Ava tossed her head back and laughed joyfully. "I love magic!" she exclaimed. Noticing the wizard's expression blended between fright and confusion, she said, "You know the castle is sentient, right?"

Shaking his head, and brushing nonexistent dust from his shoulder, he said, "Of course, I do." Ava kept smiling, but stayed silent as she continued to eat her meal. For the rest of the meal, the witch allowed Severus to work through the problems they faced with the pain potion aloud, so that he could best organize his thoughts for the potion they would create after dinner that night. Indeed, once they had finished their meal, the pair packed up their schoolbags and headed towards the door. Ava stopped abruptly, turned back to the room and said, "Thank you for a lovely evening," before turning to Severus with her brows raised expectantly.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you," he repeated. Almost in unison, Ava beamed at him and the room unleashed a wave of warmth directed towards them. With a happy sigh, Ava turned back towards the door, holding it open behind her for Severus, and they proceeded down to the Potions lab.

They were nearly to the dungeons when Ava paused in the middle of the corridor with an "Uh-oh," and began to rummage through her bag. Before Severus could ask what was wrong, the witch pulled out a potion vial, popped the cork, and downed it in a big gulp. She wiped off the remnants of the liquid that lingered on her lips and placed the glass bottle into her bag with shaky hands. Ava caught the wizard's look of concern before he schooled his features into a blank face once more. Without a word, he turned to continue on their way to the lab. Once there, the witch watched closely as Severus prepared the work table, hoping that someday soon she'd be able to sit for the first-year Potions exam. This time, he requested that Ava accompany him to the store room and help him collect the ingredients. The windowless room was cold and musty as the rest of the dungeons were, but some of the potions must have had particularly strong scents because something was definitely funky in there. With her nose wrinkled in disgust, Ava asked, "Is that smell normal?" The future Potions Master returned her question with a mere look of condescension, causing the witch to roll her eyes. As Severus picked out containers of various ingredients, he told Ava what each was and how it was to help with their potion. Just a few minutes later, they returned to the work table, and were about to begin preparing the ingredients when Severus noticed Ava trying and failing to steady her trembling hand that was currently holding a knife.

"I swear, I don't mean any offense, Ava, but it would be for the best if you let me handle the ingredients and potion tonight," he told her while looking at her twitching hand pointedly. The witch sighed before setting down the knife and taking a seat on the stool across from the Slytherin. "I'll still explain what I'm doing for each step and why, so pay attention." Severus then asked Ava to recall the name and use of each ingredient as he prepared it for the potion. She got two of the ingredients uses mixed up, but had the names correct. However, that achievement only deemed her worthy enough for a single nod of approval from her wise tutor. Once the base of the potion began brewing, the wizard decided to continue quizzing Ava on the information learned in first-year Potions. He was seemingly satisfied with her responses because once finished, he said, "Now, all you need is the ability to brew the first-year potions and you'll be set to take the exam."

Unable to contain herself, Ava launched herself off the stool with a squeal and wrapped up the Slytherin in a hug. After a moment's hesitation, the Gryffindor could feel reluctant arms returning her embrace. A hand pat her back a few times before Severus pulled away from her. "You needn't do that for each school year of Potions that you accomplish," he told Ava wearily. Her lack of response except for a smile was rather telling, causing the wizard to roll his eyes at her typical sentimental Gryffindor antics. Severus then returned to the potion and added more ingredients, stirring a specific direction each time, explaining that it determines the way that the ingredients interact with each other. Once the potion was ready to simmer for an hour and a half, he looked to Ava before asking, "Would you like to continue dueling?" Based on the broad grin that lit up the witch's face and that she leapt out of her seat and stood in a fighting stance in mere seconds, Severus shook his head in amusement and placed a protective spell around the cauldron and work station. He too stood, gave Ava of nod of readiness, and the pair commenced their duel.

* * *

Throughout the time that Avalynn had spent with Severus, one hot-headed Sirius Black was losing his patience. He was tired of just missing Ava. He had fully intended on skipping class before dinner, and was tracking Ava alongside that slimy git, Snape, when they both suddenly disappeared from the map. He had taken his eyes off of the parchment for a split second because the staircase he was on decided to start moving, and when he looked back down at the map, they were gone! He searched the entire castle through the magical parchment and couldn't locate the pair anywhere. Pissed off that Ava was spending time with the Slytherin and not himself and the other Marauders, he returned to class, but resolved to find Ava during dinner. However, before heading into the Great Hall for the evening meal, Sirius pulled off to the side with James and their eyes roved over the map before determining that Ava was still no where to be found. After dinner, Remus and James, and of course Peter, who sided with the majority of their group when they were divided, convinced Sirius to stay in the Gryffindor Tower and at least finish his homework that was due the next morning before he went looking for Avalynn again. He hurried through his two essays for Charms and Potions, then took the map out on his own. Peter and Remus didn't seem to care enough about Ava's whereabouts to accompany him and James was too whipped by his Lily flower to allow his academics to be push to the wayside. Pausing right outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, Sirius scoured the map, looking for Ava. His surge of victory was doused when he noticed who Ava was with. Snape. In the Potions lab. A look of confusion overcame his face when he noticed that their names seemed to be dancing around each other, but he shook his head and raced down to the dungeons at break-neck speed.

* * *

Wiping sweat from her brow, a red-faced Ava tried to catch her breath before her eyes widened at the glowing, red spell headed straight for her face. She ducked to the floor and somersaulted to the side, throwing _Flipendo_ at Severus as she popped back up from the ground. Unfortunately, she missed, but her attention was drawn elsewhere when the Potions lab door slammed open, revealing Sirius with wild eyes and a heaving chest, wand at the ready. Due to his unexpected entrance, Ava was distracted enough to miss the second spell of red sparks being sent at her. She turned to question Sirius, catching the spell directly in the back. With a startled yelp, she glanced back at Severus over her shoulder to throw him a menacing glare. With her face turned, Ava missed the fury that overcame Sirius' face before he stormed past her, heading directly towards her dueling partner. As soon as Ava realized that Sirius probably intended to pummel the Slytherin, she took a running leap and jumped onto the Animagus' back, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around him. "Stop, Sirius!" she shouted.

"Argh, Ava! Get off," he growled, trying to shake her from his body.

"No! Not until you calm down and listen, you little punk," she exclaimed while tightening her grip.

Sirius stilled for a moment. "Did you just call me a 'little punk'?" he asked with a tone of shock before he resumed his thrashing.

Ava could see Severus in front of them trying his hardest not to laugh. She rolled her eyes before responding to Sirius. "Yes, I did, Sirius Orion Black. Because you are. A. Little. Punk." To punctuate each word, Ava flicked the stubborn Gryffindor's ear, forcing several yelps of pain from his mouth before he ceased his movement. Both Sirius and Ava had chests heaving from their exertion and were breathing heavily, but there was no mistaking the muffled chuckles coming from across the room.

"Why, you little.." Sirius began as he raised his wand in the Slytherin's direction.

"Wait, Sirius!" Ava yelled just as Severus cast _Expelliarmus_, securing Sirius' wand in his hand. "Severus!" the witch griped as she slid down Sirius' back.

"Severus?" the Animagus repeated quietly as Ava stepped in between him and the Slytherin.

"Yes, _Severus_. He's my friend, Sirius," Ava said with her hands on her hips before turning to approach the other wizard with her hand held open. Severus huffed and rolled his eyes, but handed over Sirius' wand. The witch stomped back over to the agitated Gryffindor, who had his hand extended, expecting Ava to return his wand, but she kept it. "Now, what did you think you were doing? Barging in here like that?"

Sirius let his hand drop as well as his jaw. "What?" His eyes flickered back and forth between the Slytherin and Ava. "But I..he..and you," he sputtered out with a tone of indignation.

Ava pinched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes and looked up. With a sigh, she told him, "Sirius, if you would slow down for once in your life, and ask questions, rather than jump into action without thought, you would know that not only are Severus and I friends, but we were dueling. For practice." She beseeched him with her blue eyes to try and understand.

Sirius took a deep breath and grumpily asked, "So why'd he hex you with your back turned?"

Ava's eyes narrowed. "_You_ came crashing through the door, dummy. I wouldn't have had my back turned if you hadn't made an appearance in such a manner. And besides, it was just those red sparks that second-years learn."

"And you guys have dueled before, I take it?"

Ava nodded firmly before giving him a small smile. "I'm actually getting a lot better with his help too."

Dropping his voice to a whisper, Sirius asked, "Is he teaching you dark spells?" He paused. "Well, you wouldn't know, you're too new to magic."

With a scoff, Severus spoke up for the first time since the brash Gryffindor's appearance. "I wouldn't underestimate her, Black."

"Oh, yeah? And what do you know Snivellus?" Sirius sneered.

Ava let out a rather animalistic groan of frustration and flung her arms out. "I can't take this!" she screamed as she glared back and forth between the boys. "I can't! It's too much! I've got so much other shit to deal with right now and I can't be bothered or distracted by your stupid bullshit." With her arms crossed, Ava glanced between Sirius and Severus. "As much as it may pain the two of you, I need both of you." She looked at the stone floor, feeling tears pricking her eyes. "At least, I would like to have you both in my corner. This would all be a lot easier." She sniffled and wiped the tears from her face. "Everyone that I am choosing to surround myself with is a good person and they will help with my cause whether you want to believe it or not." Ava could see someone's shoes and robe come into view, but she refused to look up. The person grabbed her chin and gently pulled it up. Gray eyes looked into her own, and Sirius held the sides of her face, wiping away the tears that fell with his thumbs. "Please, Sirius," she pleaded softly.

His face softened as he sighed. "I'll try," he whispered before pulling Ava into a hug. She hugged him back fiercely, having missed her goofy friend the past week and feeling immense relief with him on her side.

Across the room, Severus cleared his throat, causing the two Gryffindors to break apart. "If it helps convince him, you can explain what we're doing here in the first place," he told Ava.

"Oh! Of course, thank you," Ava said. She turned to look up at Sirius and opened her mouth to explain, but then paused and began to wring her fingers. "Remember the oath I had you take?" He looked at Ava with wide eyes before flicking his gaze to the Slytherin and back. "Severus took the same one." Sirius let out a long breath with raised brows. "He knows what you know. Everything about how I'm not from here and everything about my soulmate connection with Remus."

The Gryffindor wizard began pacing with this new information. "Okay. But he can't tell anyone, right?" he clarified. "You're not going to tell anyone?" he directed to the Slytherin with a pointed finger. Thankfully, Severus merely shook his head.

"Right, he can't tell anyone anything, but he wouldn't anyway. He's on our side," Ava said.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Sirius grumbled.

"Well, that's why I'm going to tell you about the experimental potion we're working on here," the witch said.

Sirius stopped in his pacing and walked over to the work station, peering into the cauldron. "Is it some sort of potion that will help you get home?"

"What?" Ava asked, bewildered. She glanced at Severus quickly. "No, it's um, a new pain potion." At the wizard's look of confusion, she continued. "We're, well, Severus really, is trying to create a stronger potion, but without bad side effects because the one I'm currently using isn't really working anymore. I'm taking it three, usually four times a day, and—" His jaw dropped, causing Ava to pause.

"Are you having any overdose side effects?" Sirius asked her with concern, looking her over.

Severus raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised that you're intelligent enough to work that out all by yourself, Black."

Ava elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Quit provoking him."

The Slytherin rolled his eyes and then proceeded to tell Sirius the symptoms that Ava was experiencing and even went on to explain how the new potion shouldn't have those same effects.

"See?" Ava looked at Sirius with hopeful eyes.

The Animagus looked between the witch and Severus with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, I suppose. But we'll see if he stays on our side."

The Slytherin opened his mouth to retort, but Ava cut him off. "Thank you, Sirius. That's all I'm asking for." She placed her hand on the Gryffindor's arm and gave him a gentle squeeze of appreciation.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"The potion will be complete in just a moment, and then we can test it," the future Potions Master said as he left the lab.

Sirius looked to Ava and she grumbled, "He's probably going to get a test rat."

The Animagus let out a bark of laughter, causing the witch to glare at him in annoyance. "Ava, those 'rats' are just transfigured pieces of junk. They aren't real animals."

She frowned and asked, "But, even if they're transfigured from something else, wouldn't that include creating the same anatomy as an actual rat?"

"Indeed," Severus replied as he walked back into the lab holding a small cage. "So, yes Ava, they have nerve endings like real rats."

The witch narrowed her eyes at Sirius. "That's not funny. I don't take pleasure in submitting these little guys to testing, but Severus reminded me that it's better than potentially _dying_. However, I have faith enough in his potions skills that none of our experiments will hurt them."

"Oh, c'mon Ava. They were just turned into rats, they're not _real_ rats," the Gryffindor said.

She raised her brows at Sirius. "Oh? How about we get Peter down here and use him instead? After all, he's just turning into a rat, he's not an actual rat." Ava turned her attention to Severus and under her breath, added, "Even though he may act like one." Realizing what she had just said, Ava resolutely ignored Sirius' questioning gaze, giving all of her attention to the Slytherin and the experimental potion.

After siphoning some of the new potion and encouraging the rat to consume it, Severus turned to Ava and said, "Now, I'll monitor its health for the next twenty-four hours. If it proves to be safe, then you can take this potion instead of the one from Pomfrey the next time you feel an episode coming on."

"So, he knows about that too?" Sirius asked.

Severus scoffed. "It's difficult not to when she collapsed right in front of me," he stated while giving the girl a slight glare.

Ava looked to the floor before saying, "I am sorry, Severus. You know I didn't mean to scare you." Regardless of the other Gryffindor's presence, it seemed that the Slytherin couldn't help but have his anger tempered by the true remorse in Ava's voice. She looked up to see his facial features soften before he gave her a nod. Breaking the emotional moment that no doubt left Severus feeling exposed, she said, "Well, we should all probably head to bed. I know I've got to shower and get some more studying in. Aunt Minerva said that I could take the third-year Charms and second-year Defense exams this weekend if I felt ready enough for them."

As the Slytherin packed up his schoolbag, he reminded Ava, "Do try and get to sleep without wearing down your magical core," before heading out the lab, leaving Sirius staring at Ava in curiosity.

The witch sighed as she shouldered her bag and moved towards the door. "Apparently, one of the side effects I've been having is not being able to get to sleep." Checking over her shoulder to make sure the Gryffindor was following, she continued, "So, I've been practicing spells until I feel exhausted enough to actually sleep."

Walking in step with the witch, Sirius groaned. "I'm assuming the greasy git explained why you can't be doing that?" Ava smacked him on the arm, hard. "Oi! What was that for?"

"Don't talk about Severus like that," she replied primly.

Rubbing his arm, he said, "Alright, alright. I'll try harder not to. But I reserve the right to when he turns on us."

Deciding to not get into an argument, Ava let that comment slide. She slowed to a stop as they came upon the staircase the Animagus would need to return to Gryffindor Tower. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Flashing her a smile, Sirius said, "You're not getting rid of me yet, milady. A gentleman escorts witches to their quarters." He held out an arm for Ava to take.

Laughing, Ava took his arm. "Oh, so you're a gentleman now? I'll believe it when I see it," she said, throwing his words back at him.

The wizard rolled his eyes. "Are we going to talk about how you've been avoiding us, especially me and Prongs?"

She squeezed his arm and said, "I'm sorry. I just think it might be for the best if I don't hang around you guys all the time."

Sirius stopped walking, slightly jerking on her arm in order to bring her to a halt. "Ava, you haven't seen us at all this entire week, and I certainly don't count when James and I had to corner you outside the Kitchens."

Ava closed her eyes and sighed. "I just…"

"What?"

"I just don't know what to do, Sirius."

He untangled himself from Ava's arm and wrapped his own around her shoulders. "That's when you rely on your friends. So, what happened with Remus?"

She looked up at Sirius with some fire returning to her defeated eyes. "My _stupid_ magic somehow took control of my body and made me get all lovey-dovey over Remus and I literally almost couldn't stop myself with you not there. I was going to kiss him!" By the time she finished, Ava was shouting.

The wizard looked at her in surprise for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Basically, your magic wants you to shag Moony."

Tossing his arm off of her shoulders and stomping her foot with her arms crossed, Ava shouted, "It's not funny, Sirius." But he was laughing too hard to reply, clutching his sides while struggling to breathe. "Stop laughing! My magic is trying to force me to have sex with Remus."

But her words had the opposite effect, and the Animagus only laughed harder. "Oh, yes. You poor witch," he managed to wheeze out.

The witch's angry and stern demeanor was beginning to crack the longer she watched the amused wizard. She rolled her eyes, "C'mon, Sirius. It's slightly funny, but it's really not when you think about the fact that my body is being controlled." She dropped her voice, "I can imagine that's what the Imperious Curse feels like." That thought sobered up the wizard, and he looked at her curiously. "Well, I get and warm and fuzzy, and my only thoughts are about Remus and getting closer to him and it doesn't seem like a bad idea at all, even though that's not what I actually think. All he did was touch me and I started to practically come onto him."

"So, that's what set your magic off? He touched you? How?"

Ava let out an exasperated breath. "He was being all caring and nice, per usual. He touched my hand when he saw that I was upset when you and James didn't show up to breakfast."

"Oh, Ava. We're both very sorry. If we had known.."

"But you didn't, and I shouldn't have blamed you. I was just still so upset. I'm sorry," she told him.

Sirius slung his arm around her again. "I'm sure Prongs will get over it as soon as you let him know that." They began walking towards the McGonagalls' quarters once more. "What do you need from the Marauders and me, Ava?"

The witch took several moments to think before she spoke. "I can't be with Remus by myself. I don't trust myself enough to do that." She looked over to see Sirius nodding. "I really need you guys to cool it with the whole 'Oh, Slytherins are all evil, stay away from them' thing." Indignation flashed across Sirius' face, but Ava held up her hand. "Seriously," she began, before giving him a look. "You and James need to accept the fact that I'm friends with Severus and Regulus and there may be more Slytherins that come along that I'll befriend too. Just think about everything I've said since my arrival and decide whether or not you can trust me, Sirius. Not right this second, but think on it." She looked directly into his eyes as she spoke her last sentence. "If you can't trust me, then we can't be friends."

Ava thought the Animagus was going to argue with her, but he simply nodded and his next statement surprised her. "You know, if you need any help getting potions ingredients, the Potters wouldn't mind at all. Who knows? There could be some rare plant or something that could help."

The witch's face brightened at that thought. "That would be awesome."

Sirius smiled at her response. "Really, Ava. Just tell us what you need, and we'll do it. But no shutting us out. Also, if you're really up for dueling, I happen to be one of the best Defense students of our year."

"Oh, yeah?" Ava asked with a knowing smile.

"Definitely. If you practice with me, you'll be wiping the floor with Sniv-Snape in no time," he said.

The witch bumped his shoulder in a friendly manner. "I'd like to practice with you. I'll probably be in third-year Defense classes this week, so Aunt Minerva will see that I need to start practicing with you guys. But I won't be able to do it all the time. I still have to study for all the other classes you know."

Sirius rolled his eyes as they approached the door to Ava's quarters. "Yes, witch, I'm aware. We've got our own things to do too you know." Ava raised an eyebrow, prompting him to add, "You know, homework, Quidditch, pranks and such."

With a light laugh, Ava said, "I actually haven't seen a single prank from you famous Marauders since I've been here."

"We'll just have to change that, won't we?" Sirius asked with a smirk. He took Ava's hand and bowed, saying "Goodnight, milady. I will see you tomorrow."

Ava smiled. "Yes, you'll see me tomorrow. Why don't you and James pick me up here?"

"Sure," the wizard replied before heading down the corridor. He threw a wave and a smile over his shoulder right before turning the corner.

Even though Ava returned his smile, she sighed. While the witch was ecstatic to have Sirius' vote of confidence, for now, she was most definitely not looking forward to facing Remus again. After entering her quarters and taking a seat at the small dining table, Ava put her head in her hands with a groan. Not only was she concerned about her magic potentially controlling her body, but the last time she spoke to the werewolf, she practically snarled at him. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to live down that embarrassment.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thank you very much for the kudos! :D
> 
> Shout out to Amber for the review! It made me smile :D Feedback is always welcome! I'm trying to pick up the pace of the story lines, dialing back the school stuff. Let me know what you think :) Also, I felt like there were a lot of line breaks in this chapter, but I also felt like they were necessary because of change in POV or day of the week.
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates it!

**Chapter 17**

Remus Lupin ran a hand through his sandy hair as he glanced up from his breakfast to the doors of the Great Hall. James and Sirius told him and Peter that they would catch up since they were to escort "Queen Ava", as Sirius had dubbed the witch, that morning. He couldn't pinpoint why he felt so nervous. Moony was restless, pacing in the back of his mind, anxious for the confusing girl to appear. He supposed his nerves must've been because their last interaction had been far from friendly. He scoffed internally. _Of course she wouldn't want a bloody werewolf to touch her, who would? I was just trying to be nice since she was panicking over Prongs and Padfoot not being there. I guess she doesn't even want to be friends_, he thought as he returned his gaze to the plate in front of him and began to eat. _But her skin was so soft and warm. And comforting. Wait, I was comforting her._ He shook his head. _There was something about holding her hand that just felt…right_. The werewolf continued to eat, tuning out the conversations around him.

"Remus?" a soft voice asked. He didn't even need to look up from his meal to know it was Ava. Moony recognized her scent, along with Sirius and James. Finally, the wolf ceased his anxious movement and settled, satisfied with Ava's presence across the table. "Remus?" the witch called again, this time slightly louder. He looked up, and a fraction of his annoyance disappeared. Avalynn was frowning, glancing between himself and the others, and wringing her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry for the way I acted last week. I, um, just wasn't feeling well. It wasn't anything you did," she told him without maintaining eye contact for too long.

Remus winced and muttered, "Well, I won't touch you again if that helps." He immediately regretted his words when her entire body seemed to crumple in on itself. He didn't miss the glares that James and Sirius were sending his way. However, he couldn't help but remember the vehemence with which Ava told him not to touch her.

The witch shook her head slightly. "Anyway, is it alright if I eat with you again?"

Before this slip of a girl had walked up to their table, Remus would've said that he'd be fine never sitting near Ava again. However, taking in her sweet, familiar smell and hopeful expression, he couldn't stop himself from nodding in agreement. He mentally rolled his eyes at Moony's reaction. The wolf was beyond pleased that Ava had returned to their friend group for meals, and probably would've forced Remus to agree even if he hadn't wanted to. Based on his fellow Marauders' descriptions of his wolf, had he been transformed at that moment, his tail would've been wagging excessively.

Even though Ava spent the duration of the meal silent, unless answering direct questions, Remus couldn't take his eyes off of her. He kept catching himself observing the single hand that rested above the table, along with the skin exposed along her neck and clavicle. The teenager willed his cheeks not to redden when he recalled previously thinking of her skin as "delicious." Roving his eyes over Ava's face, taking in her freckles, blue eyes, and pouty lips, he came to the conclusion that despite the fact that the witch didn't want him touching her, he most definitely wanted his hands to explore her body. He could feel Moony purring in agreement. _Mate_. Startled, his eyes widened before he was able to school his features. _What?! No._ Moony grumbled disapprovingly. _No_, Remus thought firmly. _I heard you loud and clear that time. She's not—Ava is NOT our mate._

"You okay Moony?" the werewolf heard Sirius ask.

Remus poked his head up to see everyone looking at him inquisitively. "Yeah," he breathed out. "I'm fine."

Sirius cracked a smile, but narrowed his gray eyes. "Might wanna ease up on your fork there tough guy."

The werewolf looked down to see his fist tightly wrapped around the utensil, his knuckles turning white. He instantly released the fork, letting it drop to the wooden table. The conversations around the table resumed a moment later and in no time at all, breakfast was ending. Avalynn hurried off to Charms, telling them with a smile to wish her good luck on her third-year Charms exam. As Remus watched her leave, he repeated his thought to Moony. _Ava is not our mate_. Then he clarified, _We don't have a mate._

* * *

Ava breezed through her Charms exam and fared just as well on her second-year Defense exam. She was disheartened to leave little Benedict behind in her first-year Defense class earlier in the week, but she still had Potions to look forward to. Having successfully memorized all of the information that Slughorn was covering that period, Ava decided to write down the ingredients and uses for the ones that Severus had taught her. Most of them were beyond the first-year level, so the witch still felt as though she was being productive. She chuckled slightly after noticing that Benedict had copied down her ingredients notes without hesitation, thinking they were part of today's curriculum. Making a mental note to correct him after class, she slipped her parchment back towards the pouting Slytherin who just couldn't keep up with the professor.

After Potions, Avalynn headed to the library to meet with her aunt. The plan was to scour the books once more, including the Restricted Section, for any tomes that could provide assistance with Ava's situation, preferably a way home. After having a great day of classes, the witch could feel her enthusiasm waning as the clock ticked closer to dinner and they still hadn't uncovered any useful information. She glanced at the unread stack of texts, noticing there were only two left. Professor McGonagall huffed out a breath as she closed the book in her hands before reaching for another. Ava grumbled, but took the other, wanting to get the search over with. She couldn't see the point of it all. Her situation must be the first to have happened, so there wasn't any research that they were going to be able to find. After just a few minutes of scanning the pages most likely to contain answers, Ava slammed the book shut and slid it across the table in defeat.

Her aunt tutted. "I understand your frustration dear, but that's no way to treat a book."

"Sorry."

Ava heard the professor clear her throat, wanting the girl's attention. Once she looked up, McGonagall said, "If it's alright with you, I can describe the basic details of the spell and situation and send out letters to former colleagues from my time studying abroad." Ava nodded. "I thought you might shy away from the idea because of your desire to not divulge the more…unusual details of your story, but I know someone who works in the Department of Mysteries." The young witch's eyes widened. "Precisely. If someone were to know something about this topic, I think it'd be her." She paused before hesitantly asking, "Are you positive that you don't want to consult the Headmaster on this matter, Ava? He may—"

Cutting her aunt off, Ava spoke up, with a fierce look in her eyes. "I have not changed my mind about that old coot, Aunt Minerva." Her guardian's eyebrows raised, causing Ava to sigh. "I just don't trust him entirely, and I'm not desperate enough to ask him yet." A figure behind the professor's shoulder caught Ava's gaze. Severus Snape was looking at her expectantly, so she mouthed, "What?" The dark haired wizard rolled his eyes hard and mimed drinking something. Understanding dawned on the girl and she stood from her chair abruptly. "Aunt Minerva, Severus is waiting for me. We're going to study," she said while gesturing towards the Slytherin.

McGonagall peered over her shoulder and nodded. "I'll return the books, and I expect you back at our quarters at a reasonable hour, young lady."

With a smile and a quick, "Yes ma'am," Ava rushed over to her friend. She couldn't help but reenact his potion mime, exaggerating his movements and facial expression.

"Ha, bloody, ha, McGonagall," Severus said, then turned and strode towards the exit without waiting for his test subject, and Ava jogged to catch up to him, laughing.

"So, what's going on?" she asked once her chuckles subsided.

"We're heading down to the Potions lab to gather you a dose of the potion we brewed since the rat hasn't expired or shown any other negative side effects."

"Sweet," Ava said cheerfully.

Severus raised an eyebrow at her before explaining, "Afterwards, we'll return to the library where I can monitor your health and we can study." Ava nodded, deferring to the future Potions Master.

Once the witch drank the experimental potion, the pair trekked back to the library, where the Slytherin had Ava review first-year Potions with a lightning round of questions. Pleased, he gave her a small smile before announcing that they would start brewing the next week during their tutoring sessions. Ava whooped and fist pumped, causing the subdued wizard to startle in his seat. Each student worked on their respective homework until it was time for dinner. With strict orders from the Slytherin, Ava promised to monitor herself all night and tomorrow until she reported back to him. If the Gryffindor felt ill at all, she was to go to the Hospital Wing and have Madame Pomfrey fetch him immediately.

* * *

The new witch found herself in an unfortunate situation the next morning, but considering who she managed to make friends with, it was unavoidable. Ava's eyes flickered back and forth between the bright green grass beneath her feet and James hovering on his broom, holding out his hand for her to take. "I don't know, James," she told him, trying to talk her way out of joining him on the enchanted cleaning supply.

Movement to James' right stole her attention as she watched Sirius approach them quickly and pull himself into a stop, hovering next to James. "C'mon, Ava. It's amazing. The wind in your hair, you can see the whole world up here."

From the stands behind them, Ava could hear Lily call out, "Maybe she doesn't need to see the whole world like you Quidditch crazy boys, Sirius."

Smiling, the witch turned to her red-headed friend. "Thanks, Lily!" she yelled. Along with Lily were Alice, Remus, and Peter. The audience of her stubborn refusal to fly. She had flat out told the boys that there was no way she'd get on a broom by herself when they first instructed her to hold a hand out over the broom and say "Up!" But the offer of James controlling the broom's movements didn't sound too bad. Ava just wasn't sure if she trusted the mischievous Marauder to not let her dangle upside down or attempt to scare her in any other way.

Sirius and James shared a look before the Black heir shouted, "I'm surprised you managed to end up in Gryffindor, Avalynn McGonagall."

With her eyes narrowed to slits, Ava placed her hands on her hips and turned to him. "Excuse me, Sirius Black?"

The Animagus' bravado nearly left him at her withering glare, but he pushed on. "Yeah. You won't even get on the broom and hover a little bit?" he taunted.

Peter, feeling up to teasing the new member of their group, added from the stands, "Yeah, I bet she couldn't even do a lap of the pitch." The fired up witch whipped around to face the cheeky boy, causing him to grimace and mutter out an disingenuous apology.

Grumbling under her breath about stupid boys trying to tell her what she can and can't do, Ava stomped her way over to James and gestured for him to come closer. He lowered the broom so that his feet were planted on the ground. "So, how exactly does this work?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

A soft smile graced James' face. "I won't let you get hurt, Ava. Not again, not ever."

Closing her eyes, Ava took a deep breath. "Promise?" the witch whispered as she stepped closer and reached out to grasp the broom with one hand.

If James hadn't been an Animagus, he wouldn't have heard Ava's quiet plea. His heart panged at the thought of letting down the girl whose life he and Sirius had upturned. "I solemnly swear it, milady." Seeing a smile break out on Ava's face, he proceeded to explain the easiest way for her to fly with him. James grasped Ava's left hand and held her steady as she threw her leg over the broom and settled herself in front of him. "Now, as to not make my Lily flower jealous, I won't be asking you to slide back any further," he joked.

Ava laughed, but then in a serious tone, asked, "Is it still safe?"

Now the wizard laughed, "Yes, Ava. Don't be so scared. We'll go slow and before you know it, you'll love flying. Ready?"

Ava's hands were shaking, but she couldn't tell if it was from fright or a consequence of too much pain potion. Either way, she wanted to hold on for dear life, so she gripped the broom handle tightly. "I'm ready," she muttered, not feeling ready at all.

Slowly, James lifted them from the ground and took them ten, twenty, thirty feet up before Ava asked, "James?" in a shaky voice.

"You're safe, Ava. Just don't let go, okay?"

_Fat chance!_ she thought. Her entire body was rigid, afraid of moving even a millimeter. However, hearing cheers from Sirius, Lily, and Alice emboldened the witch. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, Ava tried to relax. "We can go higher," she told James after a couple of moments. Sure enough, he rose the broom thirty more feet in the air, causing Ava to suck in a breath.

"Try looking out in front of us, and not underneath us," her co-pilot suggested.

Looking up from her hands clenched around the broom handle, Ava immediately saw that they were nearing the lowest goal hoop of the Quidditch pitch. "Can we go through the hoop?" she asked, having a sudden desire to do so. "But slowly?"

James chuckled. "Of course." He flew them through the hoop, eliciting more yells of encouragement from their friends.

"Again, but faster," Ava demanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" Taking control of the broom, James steered them towards the hoop. "Trust me?" he asked.

Letting out a sigh, Ava said, "You better not make me regret this." Laughing, James scooted a little closer and wrapped an arm around Ava's waist. "James!" she exclaimed, startled. "What about Lily?"

"Ah, she'll be fine. She wouldn't want you to get hurt and she knows that she's the only witch for me." He paused. "Besides, you're gonna want me to hold onto you. Hang on tight." Without further warning, James soared up to the highest goal hoop, tearing a shriek from Ava's lips. He hovered level with the hoop for a few seconds, letting the witch adjust to the new height momentarily, before blasting through the hoop and flying across the pitch. They flew through the opposite goal hoop and twirled down to fly through the lowest hoop before rising back up to over one hundred feet from the ground.

Breathless, James asked, "You good?"

Giggling with delight, Ava exclaimed, "Yes!" Turning her head slightly, the witch caught James' eye and declared, "I want to do a lap around the pitch. And faster."

His eyes widened before he let out a loud laugh. "If that's what the Queen demands."

Ava smirked. "Oh, she does. And I'd like to teach Peter a lesson." She glanced down to see him still sitting alone in the row below Remus, but above Lily and Alice.

James returned her smirk, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Yes, your majesty." Ava faced forward once more and squeezed the broom as tightly as she could. "Lean forward some, yeah?" James pushed lightly on her back until she was nearly laying on the broom. The exhilaration of tearing through the air like lightning was intoxicating, and Ava couldn't stop herself as she demanded increasingly frightening stunts from her friend. "Ready?" James asked.

"Ready," the witch replied.

They set off around the edge of the pitch, zooming at a speed that Ava had yet to experience. At the end of the lap, James paused, allowing for Ava to yell out a whoop that was returned by her friends in the stands. "We're going in," James said before flying them around the pitch once more and gradually moving lower, towards the stands. Before she knew it, they dropped even lower as they approached the stands where their fellow Gryffindors were watching. Smiling widely, James directed the broom to buzz right over Peter's row, merely startling the girls and Remus, but causing the stout Animagus to squeak loudly as he attempted to duck under the stands. James, Sirius, and Avalynn were laughing uncontrollably as they slowly descended to the grass, seeing that their friends were climbing down from the stands.

Sirius hopped off his broom and walked over to James and Lily. "I _knew_ you could do it," he told the witch.

Ava frowned, before sighing in realization. "I just hate being told I can't do something," she grumbled.

"Don't we all," Sirius said while holding out a hand for her to take. As Ava stepped down to the grass, she stumbled, nearly falling on her face. And she would have had Sirius not been there to throw out his arms and help steady her. "You alright?" he asked with a frown.

Ava merely nodded, but clutched onto Sirius. The dizzy spell that came on was stronger than what she had been experiencing the past few days. She sighed internally. _I'll need to tell Severus_. The Animagus narrowed his eyes at her, but released her arms nonetheless.

* * *

Remus was shocked by the turn of events. Ava appeared to love flying. He couldn't help but smile and laugh along with Lily and Alice as they cheered the witch on. He also couldn't help but notice how comfortable she looked in his best friend's arms. Moony bristled along with his human at the sight. Remus shook his head, trying to clear out those thoughts. It wasn't like he had any claim to Ava, despite how his wolf felt. He tuned into the conversation just in time to hear Lily offer for Ava to join them to study since James and Sirius would be starting actual Quidditch practice in a short while. He looked to the girl in question and felt his bubble of hope burst at the expression on her face.

With her lips pressed together in a firm line, Ava looked at her friends before shaking her head. "I'm actually studying with Aunt Minerva this whole weekend." Remus' sensitive vision picked up on the slight movement of her hands twitching. "You know, to catch up on Transfiguration." Ava shifted from foot to foot before muttering a quick goodbye, informing them that she'd see them for dinner.

Watching Ava dash across the green pitch, Remus pondered over his conflicting feelings. The witch appeared to want nothing to do with him, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. His heart would race every time he saw her, and Moony kept whining for her attention. Remus didn't think he would feel so crushed at Ava brushing them off to study with Professor McGonagall, but he guessed it didn't sit well with him because it didn't seem like the witch was being truthful.

* * *

Ava power-walked like never before and climbed the stairs two at a time, rushing towards her quarters. She breathlessly said the password before slamming the door shut behind her, panting and leaning against the door with her eyes closed, paranoid that Lily or Remus or someone would follow her and find out she was lying about tutoring with her aunt all weekend. She didn't trust herself to be around Remus without James or Sirius to help ground her and keep her from acting on the bond. After catching her breath, Ava peeked her eyes open to see Professor McGonagall looking at her pointedly with her brows raised. Sighing, she moved over to the sofa, sitting down with her elbows on her knees. Without any preamble, the younger witch said, "I need you to pretend like we're studying Transfiguration together all weekend. Please?"

McGonagall looked at her niece with narrowed eyes. "And why would I say that when we are doing no such thing?"

"Because I'm purposefully avoiding Remus right now."

"I'll cover for you young lady,_ if_ you explain to me why you're being so stubborn about avoiding Mr. Lupin." The older witch joined Ava on the sofa.

Knowing that her guardian would become upset, the girl groaned while flopping back into the couch and wiping a hand down her face. "Fine. I suppose you ought to know. But you aren't going to like it."

"Avalynn," McGonagall said sternly.

"Alright!" she cried as she sat up straight. The younger witch fiddled with her fingers, saying, "The bond is becoming harder to resist."

"How so?"

"My magic seems to be taking, uh, control of my body if I get too close to Remus or if we touch." At the look the professor gave her, Ava shouted, "Not like that! He only touched my freaking hand and it's like I zone out and my magic forces me towards him. I almost kissed him at breakfast last week in the Great Hall. In front of everyone."

"Oh, dear. That is concerning. I can see why you're attempting to steer clear of the young man," her aunt murmured. "Is there anything else you'd like to share since it appears as though you've kept this quiet for a _week_ now?"

Ava cringed, knowing that she'd have to fess up about the potions because she needed to ask for another batch. "Yeah," she started slowly. "I'm, um, well, I'm taking four pain potions pretty much every day now."

"Good Godric, dear child! I surely hope that you're exaggerating." Ava squeezed her eyes shut at McGonagall's outburst and shook her head. Hearing movement, the girl opened her eyes to see the professor grab a handful of Floo powder before tossing it into the fireplace and shouting out "Madame Pomfrey's Office." The matron must've answered because the professor shouted, "We need to talk Poppy! Now!" before pulling back from the fireplace. The older witch didn't reclaim her seat on the couch, but remained standing, pacing the room.

A moment later, the fireplace flashed with green flames and Madame Pomfrey appeared. "What seems to be the trouble? Ava's clearly not having another episode." She looked back and forth between McGonagall and her charge.

"Would you care to tell Madame Pomfrey, _your healer_, the information that you've withheld from us, Avalynn?" the professor asked. The girl gulped before turning to the matron and opening her mouth, but apparently McGonagall was too worked up because the older witch interrupted, shouting, "Ava's taking four pain potions a day, Poppy! Four _extra strength_ pain potions! Merlin knows what kind of effect that has on a person!"

"Now, hold on, Minerva. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation," Madame Pomfrey soothed. She looked at Ava expectantly.

The young witch cleared her throat and quietly said, "I didn't want to worry you," while staring at the floor. "You're already doing so much, taking me in, helping me figure out a way home, letting me learn magic, helping me cope with this soulmate bond bullshit…I didn't want to ask anything else of you." Ava could feel tears starting to form in her stinging eyes. Sensing the couch dip next to her, she looked up to see Professor McGonagall with tears in her eyes as well.

"Ava." Her aunt placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dear, we can't help you if you don't let us."

Sniffling, Avalynn took a deep breath, realizing that she should share more of her secrets with the concerned witches and get it out in the open. "I'm actually getting some help from Severus," she said while ducking her head.

"Mr. Snape?" McGonagall and Pomfrey asked in unison.

The girl nodded. "I had him take the same oath as you two and the others so I could tell him the truth about me. He's still teaching me Potions, but we're working on creating a new one that'll help me better than the one I'm taking now. Well, it's really Severus running the show. I just help."

The older witches shared a surprised look before turning back to Ava. "Are you certain that Mr. Snape is who you should be seeking help from, Ava?" Madame Pomfrey asked. "Not a certified Healer from St. Mungo's? That's the hospital for witches and wizards."

Ava waved the matron off. "Yeah, I know about St. Mungo's, and no, I don't need someone else. I trust Severus and he's a genius when it comes to Potions."

McGonagall released an exasperated breath. "If you believe that his assistance is what's best for you, I suppose that we must accept your wishes."

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva," the young witch said with a smile. "I know it can't be easy just trusting me when I haven't told you the complete truth of everything that I know."

Frowning, the professor said, "You do know that you can share that burden, Ava. You needn't carry it alone."

"I know. There's just a lot. I'll have to decide what's necessary and what's not," the girl replied, thinking of Peter and the devastation that the Marauders could be spared with no one but herself the wiser. "Just give me some time."

McGonagall's frown deepened and she opened her mouth to speak, but was startled into silence as Avalynn leapt up from the couch and rushed to the cabinet that held the pain potions. The witch quickly uncorked a vial and swallowed it down in one gulp. As she walked back to her seat, Ava attempted to bury her trembling hands in her robes unsuccessfully.

Madame Pomfrey promptly approached the girl and began running diagnostic spells, causing her brows to furrow. "You're showing early signs of malnourishment and organ failure. How has your sleep been recently?"

"Not great. Severus yelled at me when I told him that I was practicing a bunch of spells to make myself tired enough."

The matron scoffed. "And right he should. You need your magical core at its strongest if you're taking that number of pain potions a day, young lady. There are a couple of ingredients that become toxic to witches and wizards when consumed in large amounts."

"Well, like you said, Madame Pomfrey, I'm just showing _early_ signs of it getting worse, and like I said, Severus is capable of helping me. We just need some time."

McGonagall tutted. "So, you're asking us to give you more time to slowly kill yourself, Ava?"

The young witch rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to _die_, Aunt Minerva. I'll just be a little shaky and tired for a few more weeks and it'll be fine. We've only made two potions and the second one is already working better than the original potion. It suppressed the pain and lasted about half a day longer." Ava's thoughts jumped to consider if the potion was designed to not suppress the pain from the physical manifestation of her soulmate bond, but the bond itself. If her connection to Remus was rendered inert by the potion, then she wouldn't need to worry about her magic pulling them together anymore. She made a mental note to ask Severus.

The professor pressed her lips together and sternly said, "If anything changes, _anything_, you tell myself and Madame Pomfrey immediately. Not the next day, not the next week, immediately. If we find out that you've kept more pertinent information from us, then we will escort you to St. Mungo's post haste, and I won't hesitate to discuss the situation with the Headmaster if necessary. Do you understand me, Avalynn?"

Ava's mouth was hanging slightly open. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so succinctly put in her place. But she had to admit, it felt a little nice to be mothered. Nodding, she said, "Yes, ma'am."

McGonagall accepted Ava's acknowledgment with a nod. "I'll owl the Potters about another meeting. I'd like to take a better look at that spell to see if there's any information that might have been missed. While Madame Pomfrey and myself haven't had close experiences with soulmates, I don't believe that the magic should be affecting you so negatively, Ava. Poppy?"

The healer nodded in agreement. "I would agree considering that your connection to Mr. Lupin is one of love and not malice in nature."

"I think it's because I'm not listening to my magic," Ava grumbled. After a moment of silence, she added, "Didn't the Potters use that spell for people who _wanted_ the bond for their marriage?" Looking down at her chest, she said, "And don't even _think_ about a wedding. That's nowhere near in the future for me. Stupid, stubborn magic."

The older witches shared an amused look and McGonagall spoke up. "Magic may be relatively sentient, Ava, and will occasionally impose its will upon others, but it's not much of a conversationalist." Ava merely sighed in response.

Hesitantly, Madame Pomfrey said, "If it were to assuage your pain at all, dear, then why not speak to Mr. Lupin?"

Looking quickly to the matron, Ava replied, "If I don't have to drag Remus into this, I won't. At least, not until we find out if I've got a way to get home or not. And besides, even if I can't return to my world, we've all got bigger problems to worry about than me getting a little fatigued over too many potions." Determination settled onto her face. "I can push through this," she said with her thoughts briefly drifting back to the upcoming war.

Soon after their conversation, Madame Pomfrey returned to the Hospital Wing and Professor McGonagall went about grading essays while Ava continued her magical studies. Considering that the young witch was learning fourth-year Charms and third-year Defense, Ava thought to propose a change in her tutors. McGonagall agreed with her idea of studying with Lily for Charms, but wanted her to continue working with Kingsley until she surpassed his abilities. Ava acquiesced to her aunt's wishes since she planned to practice dueling with Severus and Sirius anyway. After spending some time studying Charms, Defense, Potions, and second-year Transfiguration, the girl sighed but knew that she needed to dedicate the rest of the day to Astronomy and History of Magic.

Thankfully, time seemed to fly and before Ava knew it, dinner was upon her. The meal seemingly went off without a hitch. No temper tantrum from Ava's magic, and help from Sirius was keeping her grounded in reality. However, the witch didn't notice the narrowed eyes of the werewolf across the table tracking her every movement. Including the fact that her hand appeared to be latched onto Sirius' under the table.

* * *

Sunday followed much like the day before, without the exhilaration of flying. Avalynn realized how far behind she felt in her first-year classes and chose to spend more time studying. Sirius may have dramatically lamented the loss of her company for the day at breakfast that morning, but his antics weren't enough to sway the witch. Granted, History of Magic and Astronomy didn't seem to be the most crucial magical subjects, but Ava didn't want to discount any information that could potentially help her in the future. _I need all the help I can get_, she thought, joining Severus Snape at their usual study table in the library. After giving the Slytherin time to get to a decent stopping point in writing his essay, Ava gave him an update about her health and potion intake over the past two days. It seemed that their second attempt at a new potion worked well since it allowed for Ava to take only two other pain potions within a twenty-four hour time span, helping her decrease the amount of potions she was consuming by one, regardless of the fact that it made her a little bit more dizzy. Without any indication of celebration, like the smile that Ava was sporting, Severus proclaimed that he would continue to brew that same potion to give her body some relief from the toxic ingredients in the extra strength pain potion, but he would continue working towards a real solution.

Ava rolled her eyes at the lack of pride Severus showed with creating a semi-useful potion and voice her idea from the day before. "Do you think it'd be possible to make a potion that would suppress the bond itself, and not just the pain it's causing?"

Severus' hand stilled and he looked up from his parchment. "I don't advise that route." Without waiting for a response, he returned to his essay.

Crossing her arms, Ava asked, "And why not?"

The Slytherin sighed and placed down his quill. "McGonagall, look, I may not know everything there is to know about your…connection, but it's safe to say that it would be intertwined with your magical core if it is indeed a true bond." Ava raised her brows expectantly, causing him to add, "If the potion were designed to suppress the connection, which is essentially attached to your magical core, then the potion would also affect your core directly, which is never a good idea. It could potentially dampen your actual magic too."

"Oh," Ava said as her hopes for escaping the soulmate bond with Remus diminished. The subject wasn't broached again for the remainder of the day as the studious pair worked.

* * *

At the end of Transfiguration class the next day, Professor McGonagall asked Ava to stay for a moment. She approached the teacher's desk in confusion, not sure what the older witch would want to discuss.

"Yes, Aunt Minerva?"

McGonagall pressed her lips together and let out a breath through her nose. "Now, I don't want you to get discouraged, but one of the letters that I sent out asking for advice pertaining to your situation returned with no useful suggestions. There are still five other people whom I've owled, which we have yet to hear from."

Even with the professor's attempt to reassure her, Ava couldn't help but feel a wave of defeat wash over her. In a quiet voice, she replied, "Oh, okay," while nodding absentmindedly. Without another word, she turned and left the classroom. The feeling of hopelessness persisted throughout the day while Ava attended her History of Magic and Astronomy classes. When she arrived to dinner, James and Sirius seemed to know that something was bothering her because they were being obvious in their attempts to cheer her up. Ava tried to flash the boys and the other Gryffindors genuine looking smiles so that they wouldn't pester her about the topic of her gloomy thoughts.

Reflexively squeezing Sirius' hand when making eye contact with Remus, the witch felt relief at the fact that her magic settled whenever it flared up to make its wishes known since the Animagus was helping ground her in reality. But a frown formed on Ava's face as she realized that she was becoming used to eating with one hand. Frustration flooded through her at the acknowledgment of her dependence on Sirius and James. She hated relying on others for help and it was bad enough as it was that she had to include so many people in the truth about her. Ava's attention was pulled from stabbing the pieces of roasted turkey on her plate when James tapped her shoulder. He was pointing out an owl that appeared to be delivering a letter to Professor McGonagall at the Head Table.

Receiving mail this late in the day was a tad unusual, but not unheard of. Curious, Ava looked on as her aunt lifted the letter in the air slightly with a smile and raised brows. _Must be another letter about finding a way home for me_, the young witch thought. However, as McGonagall's eyes scanned the letter, her face dropped further and further before she finally looked up at Ava with her lips pressed together and minutely shook her head.

The displaced girl felt her hope deflate like a balloon and slumped in her seat. The others seemed to notice, and just as Lily opened her mouth, presumably to ask Ava what was wrong, the upset witch stood and left without a word, desperate to escape their probing questions. As Ava walked to the library in a daze, she considered her bleak future, the one in which she wasn't able to return home. _Never to see my family or friends again_, she thought morosely. Just as Ava neared the entrance to the library, something brushed against her arm, causing her to startle.

The Slytherin at her side smirked. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings McGonagall," Severus stated.

Rolling her eyes, Ava smacked him lightly on the arm, assuming that it was the offending appendage that had caused her fright. "Whatever, man. I was a little wrapped up in my thoughts, so sue me." Her brows furrowed before asking, "Were you following me?"

Severus looked at her with a blank face and merely shrugged his shoulders. "I may have noticed your hasty departure, but only because I wanted to inquire as to whether or not you would be joining me in the Potions lab tonight."

Trying to keep from smiling, Ava said, "Of course I will. Thanks for checking on me, I appreciate it."

A pleased look flashed across Severus' face, indicating that he understood that Ava was thanking him for more than just making sure she was going to the Potions lab. Even though she may be a Gryffindor, Ava was astutely aware that Severus wasn't one to voice his true emotions freely. Without another word, the pair headed towards the dungeons in amiable silence. Remembering that the Slytherin intended to brew two potions that night, and hoping she could help, Ava attempted to steady her nerves, but to no avail. It seemed that the more she concentrated on keeping her fingers still, the more they trembled. As Severus quizzed her on the ingredients from their second experimental potion, he handed her the glass jars containing the various plant and animal specimens that were necessary for the brew. Unable to calm her quivering hands, Ava grimaced when her partner quickly looked to her at the sound of glass clanking together. With narrowed eyes, Severus swiped the ingredients from her hands and scolded her for not being upfront with him about the state of her hands. Ava mumbled an apology and continued to soak up the Potions knowledge she could while the wizard gathered ingredients for their third attempt at a new pain potion. Regardless of the fact that the potion materials were above first-year level, Severus expected Ava to remember those that they would use for their third shot at a functional and nontoxic potion, so she tried her best to remain focused.

* * *

Based upon Ava's shaky hands while holding the potion ingredients temporarily, Severus didn't bother asking her to try and keep a knife steady in order to practice preparing the ingredients. When they returned to the work table, he ordered the Gryffindor to sit by the cauldron and tried to keep his tone clinical as he questioned Ava about her symptoms. _She can't keep this up much longer_, he thought as he observed the witch subtly from behind a curtain of his dark hair. She revealed the diagnosis from Madame Pomfrey, and he had to agree with the matron. The tremor in his friend's hand was decidedly worse than it was a few days before, causing a rare flicker of worry to develop in the back of his mind. Severus pushed the thought away, concentrating on the potion in front of him. Even if Avalynn hadn't endeared herself to him, the Slytherin's compulsion to help her would've been great considering the valuable information of the future she knew.

Taking another glance at the slip of a girl that wanted to challenge the Dark Lord, Severus couldn't help the shiver than ran down his spine at the notion of his potential master gaining knowledge that could help him overcome every obstacle that stood in his way of ultimate power. The wizard felt a scowl form on his face at his own foolishness for pursuing a position within the ranks of the Death Eaters. With Lily no longer his friend, he felt drawn to the people that valued his abilities, and the Dark Lord's offer of a fully paid Potions apprenticeship was rather enticing. He had ignored the prejudices and dark tendencies of his fellow followers, clinging to the small sense of belonging that came with his particular circle of friends. _Too late now_, he scolded himself, even though Avalynn was determined to not let him be marked. He briefly thought of his friends, Regulus Black and Lucius Malfoy, who were to also be branded once they graduated. Trying to focus on the potion in front of him and his own impending doom, Severus shook his head.

"You alright?" Ava asked him with a frown.

He nodded silently, then cast a protection spell over the two cauldrons. "Ready to practice?" he asked.

"Practice what?"

The wizard rolled his eyes. "Dueling, McGonagall."

"I'm really not in the mood," she muttered.

Severus lifted an eyebrow at her excuse and said, "Oh, well pardon me. Let me know when you're '_in the mood_' to prepare yourself for taking down the Dark Lord. It should be fairly easy after all."

Ava pouted for a moment then let out a frustrated groan as she pulled herself off the stool and took a dueling stance across the room from the Slytherin after stomping her way over there. Despite her clear annoyance, Severus was quite pleased that Ava was willing to listen to him. For the next two hours, the pair fired spells at each other, breaking periodically for water before the future Potions Master's wand let loose an alarm, signaling that their experiments were finished brewing. When Severus walked back into the lab with the test rat, he couldn't help but laugh at Ava's guilt ridden expression as she asked how many rats he believed they would need to use for the experimental potion.

"It's the same rat as the very first test, McGonagall. Nothing's been drastically wrong with the potions, they just aren't effective enough for your needs."

Ava rolled her eyes, and sarcastically said, "Yeah, my needs." Picking at her robes, she rambled on, "What I _need_ is to be better at magic faster. I _need_ to make sure I don't fuck up the time line, but there's just so much information swirling around my brain, it's overwhelming."

Now it was the Slytherin's turn to roll his eyes. "May I suggest that you write down your scheming details, organizing them in a discreet manner?" Without warning, Severus found himself stumbling backwards from the impact of a solid object against his chest. Looking down at the sentimental Gryffindor with her arms wrapped around him, he grumbled, "Must you, witch?"

"Yep!" Ava exclaimed. "I absolutely must, Severus. You're a genius." She retracted from his arms and collected her belongings while clarifying that they were indeed finished for the night. He quickly bottled some of the second potion for Ava to take with her, which she snatched from his hand on her way out the door. Yelling over her shoulder, Ava said that she would see him tomorrow.

The dark haired wizard shook his head and mumbled, "What have I gotten myself into with that girl?"

* * *

Out of breath from running through the corridors and up the many flights of stairs, Avalynn stood in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, chest heaving, rapidly losing her patience. "Look. I might not know the password, but I'm obviously a Gryffindor," she said slowly, gesturing at her school tie and the lion emblem on her uniform.

"That doesn't mean a thing, young lady. You could've transfigured your robes or taken Polyjuice Potion for all I know," the large, haughty woman replied, eyeing Ava up and down.

Letting out a growl of frustration, the witch flung her arms into the air, shouting, "For crying out loud, I'm McGonagall's niece! Just let. Me. In." Ava stood there with her hands on her hips, waiting for the common room door to open. When the Fat Lady did nothing but turn up her nose at Ava, the girl had had enough. She charged the portrait and proceeded to bang on the painting, causing the occupant to shriek. "Hey, open up!" Avalynn yelled, hoping that someone, anyone, inside Gryffindor Tower would hear her.

Just a moment later, the tall frame detached from the wall, revealing a small first-year that Ava recognized from her Transfiguration class. "Hello, I'm looking for Sirius Black and James Potter," she said politely. The tiny kid opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a voice that Ava could identify anywhere. She sucked in a breath as she glanced over the young student's shoulder and locked eyes with Remus. "I need to talk to James and Sirius," she repeated, a little louder, hoping that the boys would hear her, but not taking her gaze off the sandy haired wizard in front of her. The first-year's eyes bounced back and forth between the new girl and the werewolf before he huffed out a breath, rolled his eyes, and walked off.

"Want to come in?" Remus asked.

Ava clenched her fists and quickly said, "No, I need to talk to them in private." Pressing her nails into the palms of her hand, Ava was finally able to break away from the werewolf's entrancing green eyes, missing them flash amber.

* * *

Remus was working on his homework for Ancient Runes when he felt Moony stir at a scent in the air. Taking a curious sniff, he immediately recognized that it belonged to Ava. Before he knew it, he had followed the smell to the entrance of the common room and discovered that Ava was indeed there, trying to gain access. Stepping into sight, Remus said, "Hey, Ava," and he could hear the small intake of breath from the witch in front of him. _She probably still doesn't feel comfortable around me_, the werewolf assumed with a tinge of hurt. "Want to come in?" he asked, hoping his tone was friendly.

Ava seemed to stiffen before saying, "No, I need to talk to them in private."

At her comment, Moony growled and Remus had to press his lips together in an attempt to keep himself from doing the same. _What could she need to talk to them about that I can't hear too? Maybe this is my chance to get to know her better_. Over his shoulder, he yelled out to his friends who were busying goofing off, procrastinating doing their homework. Remus could hear James and Sirius approach, so he looked for Peter, spotting him still getting help from Lily. His Animagus friend looked torn, but stayed put, knowing that if he deserted his work in the middle of study help from the redhead, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Can I come too?" Remus asked Ava cautiously. He was tired of being pushed to the side by the witch and was rather curious about her since he couldn't quite figure her out. He was also trying to appease Moony, whose high-pitched whining was driving him bonkers. Even though Ava was frowning and avoiding his gaze, she nodded, indicating that he could go with them. Sirius and James had joined them at the entrance and Ava beckoned for them to follow her out into the corridor.

As the portrait closed behind them, the Fat Lady reprimanded Ava, claiming that her behavior wasn't befitting that of a young lady. Instead of voicing a reply, she sneered at the painting, causing Remus and his friends to stop in their tracks. He could only assume that James and Sirius were startled for the same reason he was.

"What?" Ava asked with a tilt of her head.

"Blimey, Ava. You looked just like Snape for a moment there," James informed her, as the other Animagus and the werewolf nodded in agreement.

The girl laughed and said, "Good. Maybe she'll listen to me in the future then." The boys shook their heads at her before raising their brows expectantly.

"So, what's up with the late night social call?" Sirius asked with a grin. "Planning a bit of mischief?"

Ava returned his smile and said, "No, but I do need your Marauder expertise. I need to know how to charm a piece of parchment to hide the contents from everyone but myself. Or anyone else with the password."

In unison, all three boys asked, "Like the map?", earning a wide grin from the witch, dazzling Remus. He felt a little giddy and his thoughts were fuzzy as he took in Ava's joyful expression.

"Exactly like the map. It's ingenious really. I figured who else would be better to teach me something like that other than you talented boys?"

Remus could feel Moony preening at her praise. _We impress our mate_, the wolf communicated to his human. The wizard was too distracted to correct that statement as his eyes continued to linger on the witch while James reassured her that they would walk through the spells step by step with her in person.

Ava shook her head and her voice took on a tone of warning, pulling Remus from his thoughts. "I don't need you to do it with me. I just need to know how to do it, and then I'll perform the spells myself." Sirius and James persisted, demanding to know what exactly Ava wanted to charm. She seemed to loose her patience and blurted out, "It's for a diary."

Regardless of how convincing the witch must've thought she sounded, the werewolf could tell that her explanation wasn't the entire truth. However, she let him attend her secretive meeting with his friends and he wanted to remain in her good graces. So, when Sirius stated that he wanted to know the real reason Ava needed the spells in return for helping her, Remus rolled his eyes and offered his help. He could sense his friends gaping at him, and when he didn't give James and Sirius the attention they sought, they both began dramatically groaning about Moony spilling their secrets willy-nilly.

"Oh, come off it," he said, turning to the two Animagi. "You know just as well as I do that she's a stubborn witch." He looked back to Ava. "She knows what she wants, and she goes for it," he said, looking directly into her eyes. He couldn't help but notice Ava's pupils dilating for a second before she shook her head and muttered a breathy thanks. She appeared to be fidgety, even though Remus couldn't think of a good reason why. Ava glanced at Sirius with her cheeks flushed and it made sense. She had a crush on Sirius. It was obvious, especially when he considered the fact that they held hands at meal times. _Of course she likes him, why wouldn't she?_ he thought dejectedly. The werewolf turned to leave, but someone grabbed his wrist, keeping him in place. The touch warmed him inside and outside and he glanced back to see that Ava was the one grasping so tightly onto him.

"Thank you, Remus," she said breathlessly, with dilated eyes, before looking away and slowly peeling her fingers from around his wrist. He stood there in a daze, feeling colder with every step she took down the corridor, walking away from him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delay. I tried to do my best to keep up with NaNoWriMo and I planned on posting another chapter last weekend, but I've been sick since Thanksgiving. I was so worn down that I didn't even feel like reading *gasp* I know! But I've been feeling better the past few days and I'm gonna power through this chapter to give you something else to enjoy besides the upcoming weekend :)
> 
> Thank you SO much for the kudos and comments left on the story! Each time I get an email notification for those, I smile :D
> 
> Also, I read recently that words ending in "s" should still have another "s" after an apostrophe, so I'll be writing Sirius's and Severus's from now on.

**Chapter 18**

Over the course of the following week, Professor McGonagall received the four remaining responses to her inquiries pertaining to alternate worlds and Ava's precarious situation. One by one, the letters arrived, increasingly dousing all hope Avalynn had of ever returning to her own reality. Although the young witch continued to attend her classes, tutoring sessions, and meals in the Great Hall, everyone could tell that she was withdrawn. Each time that someone daringly asked her what was wrong, she resolutely ignored the question and changed the subject. It seemed that Ava was unwilling to accept the truth, thus shrouding herself in denial. The joyful, inquisitive, determined girl appeared as an entirely other person to the Gryffindors, Severus, Regulus, her Aunt Minerva, and even Kingsley. Of course, she diligently continued to learn magic, but she was no longer enthusiastic. Ava knew that she was going through the motions of her days mechanically, distancing herself from her mentors and friends, but she just couldn't bring herself to care. She was numb. Faced with the truth of her situation proved to be too much for the girl to handle.

Ava absentmindedly packed up her belongings at the end of Astronomy class, and walked to the library in a practiced mental silence. Even though the boys had helped her charm a small notebook, Ava had yet to write a single word of information on its pages. In the back of her mind, the witch knew that she should be organizing everything that she could recall about the Wizarding World, but the fact that it was only late October of 1977 comforted her and enabled her procrastination. Ava knew that the chances of her returning home had been slim, but she had still been desperately clinging to a tiny sliver of hope. Yeah, being able to do magic was wonderful, but she couldn't imagine never seeing her family or friends again. _Or Moose. My poor puppy_, she thought briefly, causing tears to form in her eyes. Ava shook her head to dispel those thoughts and began to mentally run through her list of homework as she headed towards her study table with Severus.

The Slytherin joined her just a few minutes after she had settled down, and instructed her to review all of the material from first-year Potions. Even though Avalynn's emotional state had suffered this past week, she managed to successfully brew the potions expected of first-years, proving to Severus that she was ready to take the first-year exam. As she looked over her notes, Ava could feel Severus's eyes boring into her. Out of everyone, she assumed that he would be the last person to ask about her feelings and she silently hoped it stayed that way.

"_Muffliato_," Severus whispered, causing Ava to flick her head up at him. She opened her mouth, but he cut her off. "Look, McGonagall. Ava. You're obviously going through something." Ava could feel her face contort in anger. "Calm down. It's obvious that you don't want to talk about it, but you don't seem to be handling whatever is going on very well." Ava's face softened at the idea that Severus might actually be worried about her. _Maybe I should tell him_. However, his next words dashed that thought. "You need to be at your best if you still intend on ridding the world of the Dark Lord."

_Of course,_ she scolded herself. Ava looked down to her parchment full of notes, not wanting Severus to see her wet eyes. _God! Get it together Avalynn! They're all counting on you._

She tried to discreetly wipe her eyes before glancing back up at Severus. The wizard's dark eyes narrowed, but he continued speaking. "There are some…meditation techniques that could help you calm your thoughts and organize them in a way that won't be distracting."

"Occlumency?" Ava asked without any intonation in her voice.

Severus looked surprised but nodded. "I'll bring you a book that will help when we meet up tomorrow for the experimental potion." He frowned and muttered, "Our fourth attempt."

Not willing to expend the energy on reassuring the future Potions Master, Ava merely shrugged. Their third attempt proved to last about half of a day, requiring Ava to only consume it twice a day. However, even though she wasn't taking in any more high levels of toxic ingredients, she would still get dizzy spells and random bursts of time when her hands would shake uncontrollably. Ava mentally sighed, recalling that neither Severus nor Madame Pomfrey were able to give her a real answer as to whether or not those lingering side effects would ever go away.

With determination in his voice, Severus said, "I will create a potion that will last you all day, if not a couple of days. I have a theory about a longer preparation process for the plant ingredients involved in the potion, so tonight I plan to work on those. After I let them soak overnight in a concoction of my own making, we'll be able to use them for the fourth test potion."

Ava gave him a nod of acknowledgment, then returned to reviewing her first-year Potions notes.

Unseen by the witch, Severus's eyes flicked over her face, making note of the dark circles under her eyes. Without his consent, the wizard's expression showed concern for the girl in front of him. But what was he to do when she was so unwilling to share her burdens?

* * *

A few hours later, Avalynn was dueling Sirius in the Room of Requirement, cashing in on his offer to train with her. After the Animagus was able to get over his initial shock at not knowing about the transformative room, he finally followed Ava through the door only to be shocked once more by its contents. The witch was pleasantly surprised by the massive dueling mat that spanned the distance of the room and the target dummies that were lined up against the back wall. But when Sirius wouldn't quit bemoaning the fact that he was only discovering the room in his last year at Hogwarts, Ava sent a Stinging Hex his way, eliciting a yelp and subsequent glare from the wizard as he rubbed his backside.

Throughout their spell-casting, it became more apparent to Sirius that Ava was in some sort of mood. Granted, she had been in a mood all week, but this was something else. The witch seemed to be casting as fast and hard as she could with her offensive spells, but lacked the same enthusiasm for any defensive spells. At first, Sirius was in awe of Ava being able to brush off the spells that managed to land on her, but the longer it continued to happen, the more it confused the Animagus. _It's like she doesn't care if one of my spells hits her_, he thought with a frown. After deflecting a Tripping Jinx, he fired a Slicing Hex at Ava before ducking and rolling—he had learned rather quickly that Ava liked to move around a lot during a duel.

Hearing a gasp of pain, Sirius immediately lowered his wand and began walking towards Ava. "You alright?" he called, seeing her clutch at her shoulder with a grimace.

"I'm fine. Let's keep going," she shouted back. Ava dropped her hands and rolled her shoulders, wincing from her wound.

Sirius had stopped walking at her demand, but sniffed the air discreetly. He couldn't see the damage that his spell had done, but he could definitely smell the blood from across the room, which was concerning. "Hey, let's take a break and patch you up first. We can keep going after." He began to walk towards Ava again when his eyes widened as a Stinging Hex was sent his way. He quickly cast a shield and yelled, "Oi! What was that for?"

"I said that I was fine," Ava grounded out around clenched teeth. She then cast red sparks with a follow-up of _Flipendo_, forcing Sirius to defend himself.

"What is your problem, Ava?!" Sirius shouted as he flew around the room, dodging spells as he went. He quickly realized that the angered witch wasn't going to give up, but he decided to simply cast shielding spells rather than firing spells in return. _See how you like that_, Sirius thought as he continuously defended himself. He took a second to glance at Ava and noticed that she had shed her school robes, revealing that the entire left sleeve of her white uniform shirt was stained red. Her ponytail was becoming loose and sweat was dripping down her face, which was still set in a murderous glare.

"Fight. Back. Sirius," Ava screamed as she rapid fire cast _Flipendo_,_ Everte Statum_, and _Bombarda_, all intending to throw Sirius into the wall behind him. He would've stayed on the defensive, but that _Bombarda_ had packed a punch that Sirius did not want to experience if Ava decided to cast _Bombarda Maxima_.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" he yelled as he began walking straight towards Ava. He cast several harmless spells in quick succession to distract Ava before casting _Expelliarmus_. After catching Ava's Blackthorn in his hand, Sirius raised his voice once again. "Honestly, what the _fuck_ is your problem, Ava? You've had something going on all week and you've been dodging all of us, and we're just trying to make sure you're alright." He stopped a couple feet in front of the witch, who had her hands on her hips. "Well?" he asked firmly when Ava stayed quiet. She merely shuffled jerkily from foot to foot while maintaining a glare at him. "What. Is. It. Ava?" he asked in a gruff voice that he hoped brokered no room for argument, but the witch merely looked to the ground. He stepped closer to her, and opened his mouth to angrily ask once more what her deal was and his question died on his lips. Ava tried to sneak a glance up at him, and revealed her reddened eyes full of tears. _Oh no_, he thought with a sigh. _James will never let me hear the end of it if I've made her cry._

* * *

Avalynn tried to keep her emotions from running over and looked away from Sirius, towards the ground. She peeked up to see that he had stepped closer to her, and quickly ducked her head. _C'mon, Ava. Deep breaths. Get it together. You're fine. Everything's going to be fine_, she thought.

Ava could hear Sirius let out a sigh before he softly tried to reassure her. "Hey, it's alright. Whatever's going on, I'm sure that we'll figure it out. You're not alone, you know that, right?" She refused to look up at the wizard and continued to mentally psyche herself up, demanding that she remain strong and keep her feelings in check. Since her eyes were squeezed shut, Ava couldn't see Sirius reach out to her. The sudden touch startled the witch, and before she could do anything to stop it, Sirius had cupped her chin and forced her to look up at him. Blinking rapidly to disperse the tears, Ava felt some of her resolve crumble at the blatant concern on his face.

"C'mon, Ava. What's wrong?"

She pressed her lips together and shook her head slightly, letting out a small, broken whine as she tried to tell him "No."

Releasing her chin, Sirius grasped her hands and bent forward slightly to make direct eye contact with her. "It's obvious that you're struggling with whatever this is. And trust me, I get not wanting to share a personal burden with your friends, but that's what we're here for, right?" He gave Ava a small smile that she could feel disarming her current defense system. Not that it was working well to protect her anyway. She just didn't know how to process the fact that she would never be going home. That it would never even be an option.

Avalynn's eyes roved over Sirius's face, trying to bide her time. The throbbing in her arm was a nice distraction, allowing her mind to focus on the pulsing of the wound. She glanced down at the slice across her shoulder, and immediately regretted that action when she looked back up to see the concern on Sirius's face had doubled.

"Please, Ava. Tell me what's going on," he whispered, eyes wide with what Ava assumed was worry.

The witch took a slow, deep breath and whispered in return, "I can't go home." Despite how quietly Ava had spoken, she knew that the Animagus would hear her, and he clearly had based upon his eyes widening further and his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline.

"Oh," he breathed out.

Ava's jaw dropped before she let out a loud laugh, that quickly turned bitter. " '_Oh_'! I tell you that I can't go home, that I can't return to _my world_, and that's all you have to say? Oh?!" Tears left salty tracks on her face as she continued, "It's not like we haven't tried either. Aunt Minerva and I have read every last book in this fucking school and she's written letters to people who might actually know something about traveling between worlds, and nothing has turned up. _Nothing_." She had stepped away from Sirius, raising her voice as she spoke. "I can't go _home_, Sirius." Her voice had broken over the last sentence, and her legs felt like jelly. Ava's emotions released through her like a tidal wave, forcing her to her knees. Loss. Grief. Hopelessness. Frustration. Longing. "I'm _never_ going home," she mumbled as she looked up at Sirius. The thought repeated within her mind like a blaring horn. Her breathing increased rapidly and she began taking big gulps of air, sputtering out the phrase once more, "I'm _never_ going home, Sirius. Never."

The wizard had a look of utter shock on his face as he gazed down at the distraught witch. He must've noticed Ava's erratic breathing because he crouched down to the ground and pulled her into his arms, firmly telling her to breathe. Wrapping her up in a hug, the Animagus soothingly ran his hand over Ava's hair and upper back as her breathing evened out. Just a moment later, she burst into sobs and clutched onto his robes, pulling him closer. As Ava continued to cling to him, Sirius softly patted her back and let her ramble on about everything that she had been forcing herself to internalize. At the mention of the witch's dog back in her home world, Sirius raised his eyebrows as a smile began to grace his face.

One moment, Ava was burying her wet, snotty face into Sirius's robes, holding onto him for dear life, afraid that she would never be able to stop crying. The next, hair tickled her nose and she felt soft fluff in her hands. Pulling back from Sirius, she could immediately see that he had transformed into Padfoot. Ava stared at the black dog in surprise for a second before laughing, and then covering her mouth with her hand as she cried even harder. Ava flung herself onto the large animal, practically trying to drown herself in his black fluff. The dog nuzzled into her and whined, causing Ava to instinctively soothe him. She ran her hand over his head and softly said, "Shhh, I'm alright," in between sniffles. After wiping her eyes, Ava continued to pet Padfoot, trailing her hand from his head, down his back repeatedly as she laid with her head near his. Minutes later, the two friends were in the same position and Ava's crying eventually subsided into shuddering breaths, and her mind was able to calm and settle. She let out a deep sigh before saying, "It's not only the fact that I can't go home that I'm freaking out about."

Padfoot lifted his head and stared intelligently into Ava's eyes before nudging her cheek with his cold nose, prompting her to explain herself. "Well, I know things, remember?" She raised her brows slightly and sighed once more. "Well, since I'm not going anywhere, the welfare of the entire Wizarding World kinda rests on my shoulders." The dog whined and nosed the side of Ava's face, seemingly to console her, before he began to sniff down her neck to her injured shoulder. "Ahhh!" Ava startled as a wet, warm tongue caressed the slice of open skin along her shoulder. "Eww, Padfoot, no!" she scolded. The black dog looked up to her and seemed to narrow his eyes, before returning to the task of cleaning her wound. Rolling her eyes, Ava said, "You get one minute," and lectured Sirius for the next sixty seconds about hygiene and that even though his current form was a dog, that he was, in fact, decidedly _not_ a dog. Once finished tending to his friend, Padfoot rested his head upon the forearm of Ava's hurt arm, indicating to the witch that she was not to move it. And that was fine with her since she was currently using her other hand to pet the Animagus anyhow. Just a few minutes later, exhaustion crept in, and Ava fell soundly asleep cuddled next to her furry companion. The fluffy, black dog could be seen clearly rolling his eyes, but he settled down for the time being, seemingly accepting the fact that the witch needed some rest.

About an hour later, Ava was woken up by a cold nose pressing into her cheek, and at her hesitance to fully awaken, subsequently earned a moist tongue trailing up the side of her face. Lurching up from her position on the floor, Ava glared at the black dog beside her and said, "That was entirely unnecessary Sirius Black." Padfoot whined and nuzzled his nose against the side of her leg, but Ava shook her head. "Your puppy eyes won't work on me, Padfoot," she said as she stood and began to collect her belongings.

"Well, it was worth a try."

Ava startled and turned around to see that Sirius had transformed back into himself. Rolling her eyes, the witch said, "Maybe you should try just not licking people."

He barked out a laugh. "Where's the fun in that, Ava?" He picked up his schoolbag and joined her by the door. "How are you feeling?"

She noticed that the amount of concern etched onto his face hadn't diminished from before her crying induced nap. Ava sighed. "I don't know, Sirius. It's just a lot to handle, you know?" She felt better after having admitted to her friend what was bothering her, but she was still conflicted about the amount of information to share with anyone about upcoming events. Since Ava accepted the fact that she couldn't return home, it became clear that she wasn't going to be able to just sit back and watch Voldemort trash the Wizarding World.

He grimaced. "James and I really are sorry. For all of this." Ava waved him off. "Yeah, well, please remember that you have us to lean on if you need to."

She raised her hands to place them on Sirius's shoulders, but flinched when her left shoulder sharply reminded her of the Slicing Hex that managed to land on her, and dropped her hands.

"Careful," Sirius chided.

Ava reached out for Sirius's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I can't thank you enough, Sirius."

"What for?" he asked with confusion lacing his tone.

She cracked a small smile. "For making me deal with my emotions. I have a feeling that I've been quite obnoxious this week, and you helped me pull my head out of my ass."

His expression seemed to be painted with pain as he said, "I know a thing or to about not feeling like you can go home."

Ava's jaw dropped. _I totally forgot about why he's living with the Potters_, she thought, feeling like a shit friend.

Seeing her reaction, Sirius must've assumed that Ava was upset at his statement because he raised his hands and said, "No, I get that it's not the same, but—oomph." He was cut off by Ava smacking into his chest and wrapping her arms around him, clenching her teeth to push through the pain of raising raising her left arm.

Her words were muffled by his robes, but the Animagus could make them out. "I'm so sorry, Sirius. I'm glad that you feel comfortable enough to live with the Potters though. And I'm here for you too. If you ever need anything or want to talk, I'm here. No matter what."

Sirius chuckled and pried Ava off of him, holding her at arms length. "Wait just a minute, Ava. _I'm_ the one who's offering help right now. _You_ need to promise me that the next time you feel overwhelmed, or need help in any way, that you'll come to me or James. Got it?" Ava huffed but nodded. "No, I want to hear you say it."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But only if you promise too."

Rolling his eyes, Sirius said, "I promise that if I need help, I'll talk to you."

Ava nodded. "Good. And I promise the same. If I ever need help again, I'll ask for it instead of wallowing in a glass case of emotion."

He smiled. "Exactly. Good. Now we're on the same page." He gently placed his arm around her shoulder and steered them towards the door. "So, when are we gonna start plotting and helping out the Order on missions?"

That question caused a wave of panic to roll through Ava. She paused in her steps and gave Sirius a stern look. "_I'm_ going to compile the necessary information and then _Aunt Minerva and I_ are going to meet with the Order. _You_, Sirius Black, are not doing anything of the sort at least until you've graduated."

The wizard huffed but nodded after a moment of silence. "I suppose that's acceptable. Not like Mum and Dad would let us join any sooner anyhow."

What Ava neglected to tell him was that she intended on ridding the world of Lord Voldemort before graduation. Eight months. Ava gulped. Eight months to take down a powerful and cunning monster. _I can do it_, she told herself. She glanced up to Sirius as he reenacted a Marauder story from classes that day while he escorted Ava to her quarters. _Maybe I do need help_.

* * *

After having left Ava at her shared quarters with McGonagall, Sirius made his way up to Gryffindor Tower. He hadn't left the witch without a reminder to ask for help when it came time and the demand that she have her aunt take a look at that Slicing Hex on her shoulder. He provided the password to the Fat Lady cheerfully, feeling happy that he accomplished breaking through the walls that Ava had put up that week. Sirius spotted his friends in their usual spots of the Common Room and was about to announce his happy news when he was unexpectedly accosted by Remus.

"The fuck, Remus?" Sirius asked in annoyance as the werewolf shoved him, then grabbed him by the robes, pulling him in close.

With a blaze of fury in his amber eyes, Moony growled out, "Why do you smell like her?"

Sirius's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, boy. Um, look, Moony? Let's talk upstairs, yeah?" He looked over towards James and tried to convey his thoughts nonverbally.

Just as Remus started to drag Sirius up the staircase to the boys' dormitory, he could hear James behind them, making excuses for their odd behavior and swiftly joining them on the stairs.

"What the hell, Remus?" James whisper shouted. The only response from the werewolf that James received was a low growl as he continued to pull Sirius up the spiral staircase.

Sirius whispered, "Not Remus. _Moony_." Apparently he wasn't discreet enough for the werewolf's hearing because he paused for a moment to turn a glare on Sirius and James, revealing that his usual green eyes were still golden amber.

Moony barged into their dormitory and shoved Sirius and then James through it, before slamming and sealing the door shut behind them. His two friends glanced at each other and gulped. The werewolf had never felt the need to purposefully lock them in a room before when he was having a bit of a _furry_ temper tantrum. The enraged wizard whirled around and stormed up to Sirius, gripping him by the robes, and asking once more in a deep, commanding voice, "Why do you smell like her?"

Now away from prying eyes, Sirius had to endure his friend nosing around his body and sniffing him all over. As the werewolf did as he pleased, Sirius tried to explain. "Look, we were dueling and—"

Moony paused in his inspection to glare at Sirius. "You hurt my _mate_?"

Judging by the awestruck look on James's face, Sirius assumed his own must look something similar because that's exactly how he felt. "Your mate?" he whispered with wide eyes.

Moony growled in what could only be construed as agreement. But before Sirius could open his mouth to finish explaining, the werewolf had pinned him to the bed, pressing down on his throat with an arm. "What did you do to her? I will not ask again."

Sirius could hear James yelling in the background, trying to reason with their friend. "She's fine," he managed to wheeze out.

Moony released Sirius from his grip and immediate stood with his arms hanging at his sides, hands clenched into fists. "Explain," he demanded.

Sirius rubbed at his aching throat and cautiously began speaking once James had convinced their friend to sit down and hear him out. "We were only dueling so she could practice for Defense, okay? We weren't trying to hurt each other. Or at least we weren't until—" Moony growled and lunged for Sirius, only to find himself held back by James. Sirius threw up his hands and yelled, "It was Ava, not me! Okay? She went completely mental when I wouldn't fight back. I wanted to stop because I wanted to make sure that she was alright. As a _friend_, Moony. We were just practicing and she had such a temper on her, and well, she sort of had a breakdown." He grimaced and looked down at the floor from where he sat on the edge of the bed. "Probably shouldn't have said that."

"What happened, Sirius?" he heard a rather familiar voice ask in a calm tone.

The Animagus whipped his head up to see that green eyes had replaced amber. "Remus?" he asked, hopeful.

The werewolf frowned and looked from Sirius to James and back again. "I'm sorry for acting that way. I could smell Ava all over you, and it's like my head got all fuzzy and Moony took over."

Sirius waved his friend off. "It's fine."

It was quiet for several moments before Remus cleared his throat and asked, "So, what happened with Ava?"

"You know how she was acting all…off this week?" His friends nodded. "Well, she kinda just unleashed that bottled up emotion and had a good cry." Both James and Remus glared at him. "Look, I may have been there, but I wasn't the real reason she was crying."

"Why was she so upset?" James asked with furrowed brows.

But Sirius shook his head, knowing that they couldn't talk about it in front of Remus. "That's private, guys. You'll need to ask her yourself. But give her some time to process what she's dealing with."

Remus laughed. "Since when did you become so emotionally intelligent?"

"Well, I feel a little responsible for her, you know?" Sirius grumbled. James's eyes widened and Remus looked confused. "Oh, uh, you know, cause she's new to Hogwarts and a Gryffindor? Not to mention, she's Minnie's niece and she's our age. It's kinda our job to make sure she feels welcomed."

Remus narrowed his eyes slightly, but nodded in understanding as James did the same. Slowly, they all stood, intending to go back downstairs to the Common Room when Remus paused in front of the door. He turned around to James and Sirius with a frown and asked, "Are either of you bleeding? I feel like a can smell some blood."

Without thinking, Sirius said, "Oh, that must be Ava's. I clipped her shoulder a bit with a Slicing Hex." Remus's eyes flashed amber for a second and the next thing Sirius knew, his face erupted in pain and he fell to the ground. It took him several moments to gather his wits and when he did, he spotted James attempting to hold down Remus a few feet away, yelling at the werewolf that Ava was fine and that Sirius didn't mean to hurt her. Remus didn't seem to be in his right mind because all he responded to James with were growls and snarls of "my mate." However, once Sirius was able to stand, he approached the others with his hands out in a placating stance, and tilted his head to expose his neck in an attempt to appease Remus's wolfish side. As Sirius stepped towards his friends, he slowly repeated that Ava was currently safe and with McGonagall who would never let anything happen to her. As soon as Remus took a look at Sirius's injured face, he came back into himself and began apologizing profusely.

Sirius waved him off once more. He had literally brought this upon himself, being party to casting the soulmate spell for his friend. "Nah, it's fine, Remus. Really. If you had hurt _my mate_, I probably would've done the same," he told him with a cheeky grin.

Remus's eyes widened. "I didn't—I don't—She's not—" he sputtered. "That's—that's not why I punched you," he tried to reason.

James and Sirius glanced at each other and promptly bursted out laughing, clutching their sides and gasping for breath. _Poor Moony_, Sirius thought. _We know for a fact that Ava _is_ his mate._

The werewolf dragged a hand down his face and flopped back on the bed. "It's not," he protested with a whine.

"Yeah?" James asked once his laughter had died down. "And why else would you have punched Padfoot?"

Remus mumbled something unintelligible, causing Sirius and James to dramatically lean towards the werewolf, each cupping an ear with a hand. "What was that?" Sirius asked.

Suddenly sitting upright in the bed, Remus grounded out between clenched teeth. "I said, 'I don't know'."

Of course, James and Sirius laughed at the expense of their friend once more and devolved into giggles at the idea of Moony asking out his mate. Over their laughter, Remus could be heard protesting, swearing up and down that he had no intentions of pursuing Ava. That sobered the boys up real quick.

"Why not?" James asked. "She's a great witch." He was frowning and looked to Sirius expectantly, twitching his head towards Remus minutely.

Sirius nodded vehemently. "Yeah, Remus. She's a really great girl. You've just got to get to know her better."

James cleared his throat. "I know that we've been pestering you to ask a girl out and finally have a girlfriend for once, so why can't that girl be Ava?"

"Yeah," Sirius agreed emphatically.

Remus looked back and forth between his friends for what felt like an eternity. "Yeah, maybe I do need a girlfriend," he mumbled absentmindedly.

James and Sirius both whooped and hollered for joy at the idea of Remus asking out Ava. They reached across the beds and high-fived each other. Their spell was finally doing its job and everyone would be happy soon enough. _And hopefully_, Sirius thought. _We won't have to keep lying to Moony about who she really is_.

* * *

Remus looked back and forth between his friends for what felt like an eternity. _I can't believe I punched Sirius! Over Ava!_ He could barely remember everything that had happened since Sirius arrived in the Common Room. He just recalled noticing Ava's scent lingering around Sirius, but it was much stronger than usual. Next thing he knew, Moony was rearing to pummel his friend since the smell meant they must have been within close proximity of each other for a while. Remus knew that Moony was convinced that Ava was their mate, but he refused to believe such a thing. _There's gotta be a way to change Moony's mind_, he thought. "Yeah, maybe I do need a girlfriend," he mumbled absentmindedly.

While James and Sirius celebrated the idea of their werewolf friend finally accepting that he should try out a relationship, and seemingly with Ava, Remus's thoughts were like a whirlwind. The sheer possessiveness that Moony, and himself, if he were being completely honest, showed towards Ava scared him. He had had crushes on girls before, sure, but he had never felt this strongly about a particular girl and it was causing him to panic. _I just need to keep my distance from Ava before she gets hurt, and hopefully Moony will forget about her._ Remus ignored the pleading whine of Moony in the back of his mind, as well as the twinge his heart seemed to feel at the thought of romantically pursuing someone else. He absentmindedly rubbed at his chest where the pain flickered behind his ribs while he considered the details to a plan that he mistakenly believed would distract Moony from Ava once and for all.

* * *

Avalynn attempted to enter her quarters discreetly, trying to avoid her aunt at all costs. After her meltdown with Sirius, the witch knew that she had been quite a pill this past week, and she felt plenty embarrassed about her behavior. The living room and kitchen appeared to be empty, so judging the coast to be clear, Ava tip-toed towards her bedroom. She slowly reached down to the doorknob and began to twist it as a throat was cleared behind her. Yelling in fright, Ava jumped around to see Aunt Minerva peering at her with raised eyebrows.

"Oh my God! Was that really necessary?" she yelped while still catching her breath.

"You tell me, my dear. Is it necessary for you to attempt to creep into your room without even saying goodnight to your aunt?"

Ava flinched. "I wasn't 'creeping'," she protested.

Without a word, Professor McGonagall grasped Ava's right shoulder and led her over to the couch where both witches sat down. After a few moments of silence, her aunt said, "We've hardly spoken today, but am I sensing a change in your attitude from this week."

Ava sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. In one breath she said, "I'm sorry, I know I must not have been easy to deal with, but it was a lot for me to handle. You know?"

The professor tutted and reached out to grasp Ava's hand in hers. "No, Avalynn. I wouldn't know because you haven't been very open with me. Occasionally, we all need help from others and it very well isn't the end of the world to ask for it."

Ava let out a chuckle. At the questioning look from McGonagall, she explained. "Sirius essentially told me the same exact thing earlier tonight." Ava squeezed her aunt's hand slightly. "I really am sorry for being so…closed off this week."

Her aunt reassured her, "I've had my fair share of moody teenagers over the years, dear."

Ava was gob-smacked. She couldn't believe how quickly she has dismissed discussing her worries with McGonagall, and the woman was absolutely right. As a Head of House, she would've had to deal with a lot of teenage drama. Taking another look at her aunt and considering everything she knew about Minerva McGonagall, Ava felt ashamed that she hadn't leaned on the older witch sooner. This was the same witch who took several Stunners at once. The same witch who gave Harry Potter a biscuit after he sassed Umbridge. The one who chased after Snape when she thought he was a true Death Eater after Dumbledore's death. She had been a part of the Order during both wars, and she deserved Ava's respect. Ava cleared her throat. "Aunt Minerva, I know I've already said it, but I'm sorry." The older witch frowned and opened her mouth, but Ava held up her hand. "I know, but you deserve better. I've entrusted you with my secret and I know that you're a loyal and intelligent woman, and I should've remembered that instead of bottling up all of my emotions and fears. I know that you're strong enough to help support me, and I swear that I won't forget that in the future."

McGonagall had tears in her eyes and let out a breath. "Well, that was unexpected, dear."

Ava smiled. "But true." She leaned forward and began to raise her arms to wrap up the professor in a hug when her left shoulder gave a sharp pain in protest. "Ow! Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Ava breathlessly exclaimed as she dropped her arms, her face scrunched up in pain. The young witch glanced up at McGonagall to see her waiting with an eyebrow raised expectantly. Looking away from her aunt, Ava said, "I _may have_ gotten hit with a Slicing Hex earlier."

"Let me see."

Ava sighed and began to take off her robes. "It's not that big of a deal, it's—" and she let out a gasp of pain as her eyes began to water. Ava looked down to see that McGonagall had pulled the fabric of her sleeve off of the wound, which it had been previously stuck to, the dry blood acting as an adhesive of sorts. The professor merely tutted and set about cleaning the wound and sealing it with a quick healing spell. During the process, Ava explained that she was only dueling with Sirius for practice when the injury occurred.

"While I commend you for practicing outside of your scheduled tutoring sessions, may I suggest that you learn some simple healing magic as well?" McGonagall said once she had finished wrapping a bandage around Ava's shoulder. "That way, if one of you does receive a minor injury again, you'll be able to heal one another and continue practicing. As for more severe injuries, I'm assuming you're intelligent enough to not use spells against each other that would cause such serious damage." She gave Ava a pointed look, earning a quick nod of agreement from the young witch. _I don't even know that kind of magic_, Ava thought. _Yet_.

Now that her shoulder was taken care of, Ava leaned forward to give her aunt that hug. After squeezing the professor tightly for a moment, Ava pulled back and took a deep breath. She launched into an explanation of everything she had been feeling that week, from each returned letter battering against the hope that she held out for returning home, to the realization that the fate of the Wizarding World seemed to rest on her shoulders. She finished with a defeated, "It's not fair," before the professor wrapped up the young witch in another hug. Ava didn't think she could cry anymore, but a few tears managed to escape.

Pulling back from the hug, her aunt reached out to wipe off the stray tears running down Ava's face. "There, there, dear child. Everything is going to be alright. I may not be privy to all that you know, but you have myself and Poppy, as well as those rambunctious boys of yours to lean on. We're here for you in any way that you need."

Ava sniffled and nodded. "I'm going to start writing everything down that I know. All of the important information." She leaned over the side of the sofa to reach into her schoolbag and pulled out a blank notebook. "The boys showed me how to charm this so that no one can read it unless they have the password. I haven't written anything yet, but I'm going to start tonight. And I want to give you the passwords."

McGonagall huffed and shifted in her seat. "Nothing will be happening to you, dear, so there's no need—"

Ava cut her off. "There is most definitely a need, Aunt Minerva. You may not realize it yet, but this is going to be dangerous. As Voldemort gains supporters and power, it'll be more underground than anything, but it'll only get worse. Prejudices run abound, people go missing, and a lot are killed." McGonagall sucked in a breath, and Ava nodded. "That's why I feel so strongly about this. And I want to end this before it really even begins, but we must prepare for worst-case scenarios."

The professor nodded and solemnly asked, "What do you need of me, dear?"

Ava smiled, grateful that her aunt was trusting her. "For now, I just need you to learn the passwords for the notebook. And yes, there are two. Apparently, the charms are more difficult for someone to break into if there's another password to seal the information inside." McGonagall gave a hum of agreement, so Ava continued, "Well, to open it, the password is Zac Efron."

Her aunt frowned. "Zac…Efron?"

Ava smiled. "Yes. And to close it, the password is Red Vines."

"Red Vines," McGonagall repeated with a nod.

"Okay, so let's try it. I'm going to do it real quick and write something small." Ava then proceeded to mutter "Zac Efron" while pressing the tip of her wand to the parchment, scribbled a single line into the notebook, and then sealed it with an utterance of "Red Vines" and another press of her wand. She then handed it the professor.

McGonagall held her wand to the notebook and clearly said, "Zac Efron," allowing for Ava's written words to appear— "Important Events"—before she whispered "Red Vines," causing the words to vanish. She silently returned to notebook to Ava's hands.

"Awesome. This makes me feel so much better now that I've got somewhere to get all my thoughts organized and someone who can access them just in case. I'm starting out by listing everything I can remember and then I'll worry about putting it all in chronological order later." She stood from the couch and picked up her schoolbag, intending to get ready for bed before starting on the notebook.

"Ava," McGonagall called. The girl paused and turned back around to see her aunt pale and visibly shaken. "Please keep me apprised as you compile the information you deem necessary," she said in a shaky voice.

Understanding that this entire situation was a lot to handle, Ava said, "I go back and forth between feeling confident and anxious. You'll come to grips with it eventually, and by then, it'll be time for action. Like I said before, I fully intend on becoming a part of the Order, which will have a much bigger role in the coming years if we don't do anything preemptively." She let out a breath. "Which we will. Like you said earlier, no need to worry." Ava flashed her aunt what she hoped was a reassuring smile and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Away from the older witch, Ava let out a breath as her shoulders sagged, and ran a hand down her face. She seemingly stared into nothingness for a few moments, he thoughts running rampant, before startling and going through the motions of getting ready for bed. Several minutes later, she settled down onto her bed with the charmed notebook, wand, as well as a quill and ink resting atop a closed textbook. Pressing her Blackthorn to the parchment, Ava whispered, "Zac Efron," with a slight smile and got to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> For those of you who didn't catch the A Very Potter Musical references within the passwords, I highly recommend watching it. You won't be disappointed :D I also strongly advise watching the sequel. It's just too funny not to :) All of the videos are on YouTube.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's the next chapter! I'm extra excited for this one because it introduces some more conflict :)
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left kudos or reviews last week :)
> 
> What do you think about the changes in POV? Is it jumping around too much? Is it a good amount? Do you like it? Let me know :)
> 
> Also, Merry Christmas everyone! :D

**Chapter 19**

Avalynn greeted the next day in a rather somber manner. She woke early, tangled in her sheets, struggling to sleep after delving through all of her memories relating to the Wizarding World. The young witch quietly got dressed and waited for her aunt in the kitchen, sitting at the small dining table while slowly reviewing the information she wrote down in her charmed notebook the night before. She gingerly turned the pages, as if being too rough would cause the events to come to fruition. Not too much later, the professor joined Ava, greeting her with a surprised, "Good morning."

"I couldn't sleep," Ava explained as she held up the notebook containing the neatly organized catastrophes that could befall the Wizarding World. McGonagall eyed the bundle of parchment with trepidation. "I still need to finish organizing the events chronologically, but this is as much as I could remember. At least, as of last night. I might remember more. The numbers next to the events represent the order that I think they happened in.

Her aunt slowly reached out for the notebook, and scanned the first page, almost too quickly for comprehension. Without warning, she snapped it shut and shoved it across the table towards Ava. "I think it would be best if I looked over your notes once they were all organized."

Ava merely nodded, as she didn't want to draw attention to the fact that it was obvious the older witch wasn't ready to face the details of their possible dark future. Having already taken a pain potion when she first woke up, Ava double-checked her schoolbag for another two vials, making sure to have a back-up dose. This version of Severus's potion worked the best so far, so she shouldn't need the next one until around the start of Potions, her last class of the day. The reminder of that particular class caused Ava to sadden a little because she would be taking the first-year exam on Monday, only a weekend away, and then she wouldn't be able to see Benedict in any of her classes at all. The young witch knew that, _technically_, she could sit with the little Slytherin at his House table during meal times, but she wasn't trying to draw any unnecessary attention to herself. Over the weeks, she managed to catch the names of Avery, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, McNair, and Yaxley who were known Death Eaters, besides Severus, Regulus, and Lucius Malfoy, that she already knew of, and she had no desire to test them by joining their table for meals.

Professor McGonagall had left to prepare her classroom for the day, leaving Ava alone with her thoughts. She felt slightly more in control of her situation now that she had begun to record all of her memories about the First Wizarding War and everything that led up to the Second Wizarding War. Letting out a slow breath, she tried to keep the pressure to ensure everyone's safety from overwhelming her. She was pulled from her thoughts by a knock on the door. Frowning, she stood and opened the door to reveal Sirius, seemingly bouncing with excitement if the wide grin on his face was anything to go by. "Hey," she said. As she peered closer at his face, Sirius's smile seem to falter. Her eyes widened when she realized the skin around his left eye and cheekbone were bruised as though someone had punched him. "What happened?!" she exclaimed while turning around to grab her schoolbag quickly. Sirius had yet to answer, so when Ava closed the door behind her and stepped out into the corridor, her hands went to her hips as she declared, "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

Sirius huffed. "It's not that big of a deal. If anything, it's a good thing."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, fighting is always the solution."

"It is if it gets Remus to admit that he has feelings for you," he said with a smirk.

Ava's mouth hung open for a few moments before she repeated, "Remus said that he has _feelings_ for me?"

His smirk morphed into a frown. "Well, I don't think he said it _exactly_ like that, but yeah, he basically did."

Ava huffed as she smacked Sirius on the arm. "That's not the same."

"Oi! This is how you treat the man that brings you this joyous news?"

Her eyes narrowed as she pointed a threatening finger at the Animagus. "You need to tell me every detail, Sirius Black. Don't leave anything out."

He let out a small groan, but relented. While the pair made their way to the Great Hall, Sirius filled Ava in on everything that happened the moment he returned to Gryffindor Tower the night before. As he revealed more of the story, especially about Moony claiming her as his mate, Ava's heart rate increased. _I can't believe it_, she thought with a smile. The witch was rather pleased that Remus and Moony seemed to care for her, but she didn't dare voice those thoughts to Sirius. _Maybe there's hope after all_. Ava thought about the idea of Remus acting on any feelings he has for her, and suddenly, she wasn't so pleased with the turn of events. _What about the time line?_ Her mind jumped to thinking about the future and she gasped, stopping in the corridor and startling Sirius. _What about Tonks and Teddy?_ she questioned herself as tears pricked at her eyes. She couldn't knowingly take away Remus's future family.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked worriedly, his gaze flicking up and down the hallway. Ava sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. "What is it, Ava?" he pestered.

She slowly looked up at him with a frown. "Does Andromeda have daughter?"

His eyes widened, then narrowed. "You can't ask a question like that without an explanation."

"Just answer the question, Sirius."

He stared at Ava for a moment. "Yeah, she's got a daughter. Nymphadora, or something equally ridiculous. Poor kid. What's she got to do with anything?"

Ava shrugged and she tried to discreetly wipe her eyes. "Nothing." She paused. "You know, Remus could have someone else out there who he's supposed to be with."

Sirius is more clever than anyone gives him credit for because he slowly asked, "In those books you read, was Remus in a, uh, relationship with my little cousin?"

Ava nodded. "They even had a kid together." She frowned and looked resolutely at the ground, afraid to see Sirius's face.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "You know that you belong with him, right?"

"You think so?" she asked, without looking up.

"I'm certain of it, Ava. That spell wouldn't have worked, otherwise. It pulled you here from entire other world! You two are _soulmates_. That's a big deal."

She glanced up to see if there was any doubt lingering on his face. "Are you _sure_? Like, _one hundred_ percent sure? I don't want to take away a potential future from him." While that may have been the thoughts that she vocalized, her magic sent a flicker of pain throughout her chest and limbs in protest.

Sirius wrapped an arm around Ava. "I'm positive. Even if I weren't, how else do you think a _soulmate_ spell is supposed to work, huh? Besides, my cousin's only four."

Ava laughed and leaned closer to him, whispering, "Don't you remember that I'm actually about ten years older? I only _look_ seventeen." She frowned. "Although, I swear I feel like I'm seventeen again, what with the emotions and hormones I'm experiencing."

Sirius chuckled and made a cheeky comment about her being a cougar on the prowl for a furry mate. Ava rolled her eyes at him and felt lighter regardless of his teasing. _Maybe I need to stop over thinking everything_, she thought. _Moony did say that I was his mate_. She smiled up at Sirius. "I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if Remus wanted to be with me." In response, Ava could feel her magic celebrating, racing throughout her body, causing her to pleasantly warm from the inside out. The pair walked into the Great Hall, laughing and in high spirits.

As they approached the Gryffindor table, Sirius spotted Remus standing at the Hufflepuff table, talking to a girl who was smiling and nodding her head vigorously. Ava frowned, but continued moving towards their usual spots with her friend. They both sat down to join the others, except for Remus, and began to eat breakfast. Ava devoted most of her concentration to not looking over at the Hufflepuff table with her burning interest. Just a minute later, Remus joined the group, ignoring all of the questioning looks from his friends.

James cleared his throat and asked what everyone else was wondering. "So, Remus, what was that all about over there with Allison Clover?"

Ava's eyes flicked up to Remus, desperate for his answer. She saw the werewolf swallow and shift in his seat before he responded. "I asked her to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend," he said with reddened cheeks.

Ava froze, with her fork halfway to her mouth. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Nothing beyond the realization that Remus didn't want anything to do with her. Without looking, she heard James drop his fork and Sirius choke on the bite of food in his mouth. They began whisper shouting at Remus, something about not listening to their conversation last night and wanting to know where his feelings for the Clover girl suddenly came from.

Her mind was racing and she felt the telltale spark of pain behind her ribs, signaling an approaching episode. Without saying a word or making eye contact with anyone, Ava stood and left the Great Hall. She stopped right outside the giant doors to take a few sips of the potion that Severus created, hoping that it would be enough to help the episode subside. _I only took the first dose a couple of hours ago_, she bemoaned. Someone tapped Ava on the shoulder, so she turned, ready to explain what happened to Sirius or James, but she was surprised to see that it was Lily who decided to come after her.

"Hey, Ava," the redhead said hesitantly. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay. I think James and Sirius might be a little too irritated with Remus right now to consider your feelings."

"Feelings?"

Lily laced her hands together and she looked directly into Ava's eyes. "Yes, your feelings." Ava stared at the girl silently with her arms crossed. "It would make sense for you to be upset that Remus asked another girl out." Ava shifted on her feet and looked away from Lily, seemingly more interested in the portraits displayed on the wall over Lily's shoulder. "I thought about it some more after that day when James and Sirius were late to breakfast, and you may think you're being subtle, but your eyes always find Remus at the table and you always perk up when he starts talking. It's perfectly normal to have feelings for someone, you know? You can talk to me." Ava's gaze flicked back to Lily, who was giving her a reassuring smile.

She let out a sigh. "I need a Wizard's Oath first, if I'm going to tell you the truth," Ava joked.

Lily laughed and said, "What about a witch's oath? Us girls have got to stick together." Ava stayed silent, mentally debating the merits of letting Lily into her Circle of Trust. "I've been meaning to spend more time with you," the redhead continued. "We've got a lot in common, you know? I also grew up in the Muggle world, so I know what it's like having the whole concept of magic and the entire secret of the Wizarding World dumped on you. I also give priorities to my studies, like you, and Lord knows that I'd be panicking like no other if I had been introduced to magic so late, like you have." Lily must've realized how that sounded because she flinched and grimaced.

Ava waved her off as she sensed an apology making it's way out of the other girl's mouth. "I know what you meant, it's fine. I really appreciate you coming to check on me." She fiddled with her hands in front of her, wanting to confide in Lily, but not necessarily wanting to tell the whole truth. Ava looked up when the girl reached out and gave her arm a comforting squeeze.

"You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, Ava. I just figured you might want someone to talk to that isn't Sirius or James."

Realizing how right Lily was, Ava let out a quick breath through her nose before saying, "I guess I do have, um, feelings for Remus."

"I knew it!" Lily exclaimed with a grin. Ava looked at the girl with her jaw hanging open slightly, and Lily muttered, "Sorry," before schooling her expression back to a more serious and attentive one.

Ava gave her a small smile as she shook her head. "Yes, well, it's a bit more than just a passing crush, so it's rather upsetting that he asked that other girl out. Especially when I thought that he liked me," Ava trailed off throughout that last sentence. Frowning, she mentally reprimanded herself. _'I thought that he liked me'?! How old are you, Avalynn? Good God. I'm truly a teenager again._ Ava ran a hand over her face.

Lily tutted. "I'm sure Remus will come to his senses soon enough. It's only one date, and they're only going to Hogsmeade. Everyone does that, it's nothing special." She bumped Ava's shoulder with her own. "You seem like a great girl, Ava. We just have to make sure that Remus sees that."

"We?"

"Yep," she said while looping her arm through Ava's. "Remus and I have study sessions together, so I'll put in a good word for you."

"Really?" Ava asked as they began to walk down the corridor together. "Why?" Lily stopped walking and looked at her with confusion written all over her face. "Why would you help me? Maybe Remus is supposed to be with that other girl, you don't know." Ava could feel tears starting to form in her eyes against her will at the mere thought of him being with someone else.

Lily grabbed Ava's shoulders and turned the girl towards her. Making direct eye contact, she asked, "Do you really think Remus should date Allison Clover?"

Anger flashed across Ava's face. "Well, no, I don't. But—"

"Tell me exactly how you feel about Remus."

Ava rolled her eyes, but her expression grew more serious when she realized that Lily was still waiting for an answer. "My heart races every time I see him." She let out a breath. "I can barely control myself around him. It's like my magic is reaching out for him, and it gets excited every time we're close." She finished and a tear dripped slowly down her face.

Lily smiled softly at Ava and reached up to wipe the tear away. "And that is why I'm helping you. I can tell that you really care about him. He's a wonderful person who deserves the best." Lily tugged on Ava's arm and they began walking once more. "And that Clover girl is a total slag," Lily added nonchalantly.

Ava gasped, looking at Lily Evans in a new light. "Lily!" she whispered shouted as she glanced over their shoulder to make sure no one heard what the redhead said.

She merely shrugged. "What? It's true! Remus is one of my best friends, and I'll do anything I can to keep him from getting hurt."

Ava let out a small laugh and shook her head. _Of course. It's insane how hereditary the House sorting can be_, she mused, thinking of Harry taking that trait to the extreme with his savior complex. The two girls parted ways at the second staircase they ascended, heading to their respective classes. As Ava walked to her third-year Defense class, she came to the definitive conclusion that she needed Lily as a friend and confidant. Sirius and James were too biased when it came to discussing her potential relationship with Remus, and Lily seemed to have the no nonsense attitude that Ava was looking for.

* * *

Avalynn was considering how all out of whack her class schedule had gotten since she was advancing further in some subjects but not others as she walked from Defense to her fourth-year Charms class. It was always unnerving for her to start in a new class since she had to start all over with attempting to make friends. She was the new kid every few days it seemed like. At least Kingsley was in her third-year Defense, so she didn't feel too nervous her first day in there. Unfortunately, the fourth-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws in Charms seemed to be resolutely set in their stereotypical teenage behavior, and Ava didn't really want anything to do with them. It was during Charms that she remembered today would essentially be her last first-year Potions class. _I should let Benedict know_, she thought, not sure of how sensitive the young Slytherin would be to her departure.

At the end of class, Ava hurried out of Charms, determined to catch Benedict on the way to Potions. She arrived to the Defense classroom right as the boy and his friends were exiting, but the witch was so focused on finding Benedict that she wasn't paying close enough attention to the group of students congregating outside the Defense room for their lesson. Ava called out for her young friend, who responded by beaming at her and she walked up to him, throwing her arm around his little shoulder. Hearing a throat clear with obvious exaggeration, Ava glanced up to see an unfortunate sight. Scanning the crowd, it seemed that the seventh-year Slytherins and Ravenclaws were waiting for Professor Fell to let them into the Defense classroom. Without meaning to, her behavior had drawn the attention of the exact people she was trying to avoid. Standing right in front of her seemed to be every future Death Eater in the school. Ava spotted Severus hanging back in the group of students, but didn't feel any judgment towards him. _Classic Slytherin_, she thought. She flicked her gaze back to the prejudiced students seemingly gathering closer to her. Lucius Malfoy was looking at her as though she were gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe, causing Ava to roll her eyes. She lightly pulled on Benedict to keep walking down the corridor when one of the seventh-year punks spoke up.

"You might want to reconsider who you spend your time with, little snakes."

Ava could feel Benedict tense under her arm, and gazed down to see the three eleven-year-olds looking up at her with wide, worried eyes. She ushered them along, whispering, "I'll catch up with you in Potions." After seeing the young boys turn the corner, Ava swiveled to face the group of Death Eaters and plastered a friendly smile on her face. "Hello, I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Avalynn McGonagall." When the boys did nothing but eye her suspended hand, she huffed and crossed her arms. "So, what's your problem exactly? Is it that I'm a Gryffindor?" She paused. "Or because I'm a half-blood?" Her eyes roved over the boys, looking for any indication if one of them were to draw his wand. Ava noticed Avery leering at her chest, prompting her to add, "Or is it because I'm a girl?" while trying to cover herself up more with her school robes.

Movement behind the boys drew Ava's attention, and she saw Severus slowly reaching into his robes, presumably to pull out his wand if need be, but she really didn't want it to escalate that far. Her eyes returned to the group of Dark Lord worshipers in front of her, and she looked at them expectantly while tapping her foot.

Malfoy cleared his throat, and took a slight step forward. "It's not you, Miss McGonagall, that we object to," he explained. He placed emphasis on her last name and gave a pointed look to McNair, whose face dropped slightly from Malfoy's gaze. "It's those in your House that you've chosen to cavort with."

Understanding dawned in Ava's eyes. _Blood traitors_. She gave Malfoy a quick nod and stepped back from the group, now knowing where she stood with the Death Eaters. "Gentlemen," she said with a brow raised, hoping to indicate her displeasure with their behavior, before turning and leaving down the corridor.

As she made her way around the corner, heading down to the dungeons, Ava stumbled over a small pile of bodies. In the process of colliding, Ava recognized the first-year boys that she had supposedly sent ahead of her to Potions. Once the group managed to climb up off the floor, and the groaning and apologizing was out of the way, Ava asked, "What are you still doing here?"

She directed the boys towards to dungeons and Benedict explained on the way. Apparently, they were lingering in the corridor, worried about leaving her behind and Benedict was trying to convince his friends to go back for her. Ava flashed them a broad smile. "That's incredibly sweet of you, Benedict," she told him.

One of the other boys eyed Ava warily and said, "Maybe you're rubbing off on him too much."

Ava chuckled and wrapped an arm around Benedict, pulling him in for a quick hug and a ruffle of his hair, which he immediately tried to lay flat again. "There's no such thing since I have such a wonderful personality," she declared with a flourish of her arms. The boys laughed and they continued hurriedly down to the dungeons. For the rest of the way, Ava explained why she wanted to catch them before getting to Potions. At the mention of Monday being Ava's last class, Benedict pouted, giving her such puppy eyes that she nearly considered asking Slughorn if she could push back the exam. Trying to soothe the boy, she offered to try and find him a spell that would help with taking notes faster so he wouldn't miss anything. "We could also meet up once a week for a study group," Ava offered. Even knowing that he wouldn't appreciate it, she told the boys to join her and Severus on Monday afternoon for their first study session together. Benedict's resulting smile and "thank you" were totally worth Severus's displeasure. One of the other boys commented that "the Snape guy looked too scary to even sit with", forcing a laugh out of Ava. She promised that he wasn't that scary once you got to know him, and that it would be worth it because he's wicked smart.

* * *

Ava gently pulled the large chair from her study table, hoping to not disturb Severus, who was already sitting across the table from her, working on an assignment behind a curtain of black hair. His head didn't raise from the parchment when he said, "You're late."

She winced. "I know. I'm sorry, but I was talking to Benedict after class for a bit."

His dark eyes flicked up to meet her gaze briefly before resuming his writing. "Is that the boy from earlier?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No matter. I was simply confirming his identity."

Ava narrowed her eyes at Severus as she began to unpack her schoolbag. "Mhmm." When he didn't offer any explanation of the day's earlier events from his perspective, she rolled her eyes. "Severus." His quill stilled as his head tilted up, revealing an expectant look on his face. Ava returned his expression and asked, "Are we going to talk about what happened today?"

Severus let a breath out of his nose before casting _Muffliato_. He leaned closer to Ava. "And what, pray tell, do we have to discuss?"

She huffed and leaned forward slightly in her seat. "Well, for one, you could've warned me that that particular group of guys has it out for me," she whisper shouted at him. His brow creased slightly as he opened his mouth, but Ava cut him off. "Two, were you really planning on defending me against them? I saw you reaching for your wand." She raised her brows, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. Severus scowled at her, choosing to remain silent. _Here we go_, she thought before taking a deep breath. "And three, Benedict and his friends will be joining us once a week for a study group." As she said this, Ava pretended to be preoccupied by nonexistent dust that she needed to brush off of her robes.

"_What_?!" Severus hissed at her.

She looked up to meet his predictable glare. _That would definitely terrify me if I were a student of his_, she considered for a moment. "I believe you heard me the first time, but I'll clarify. Because I'll no longer be in Potions class with Benedict, I invited him and his two friends to join us Monday, here, for a study session on Potions."

"And you didn't think to consult me before making this decision?"

Ava smiled at him. "No, because I knew you'd react like this, but it'll be fine. They're studious for first-years, and I think Benedict is a little worried about sitting alone in Potions now." Severus's expression softened minutely. "They're good kids, just give them a chance. If it's that bad, then I'll schedule a time for a study group with them some other day." Seemingly satisfied with this compromise, Severus nodded and resumed working on his homework. Ava let out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding, and smiled to herself while settling into her seat to complete her Charms essay.

Only a few minutes later, Ava stood from her seat with the intention of locating some books on Charms for reference. She told Severus where she was going and turned to see all four of the Marauders walking down an aisle towards their table. All of the breath left her lungs at the sight of Remus. Her supposed soulmate, who unknowingly crushed her heart that very morning. She closed her eyes while taking several deep, calming breaths.

At her hesitation, Severus looked up and politely offered, "Do you need any help finding—oh." Without looking over her shoulder at him, Ava could feel his glare and subsequent sneer radiating from behind her, daring the Marauders to start something.

* * *

Sirius knew that following Ava into the library during her study time with Snape wasn't a good idea, but he couldn't talk James out of it. After pestering their werewolf friend all day about the whole nonsense with Allison Clover, they still refused to believe that he had feelings for the girl. Especially, after he so obviously declared Ava as his mate the night before. Sirius knew that it was too soon to try and talk Remus out of anything, but James couldn't let it go. He mentally laughed, _It's hard to when we know that he and Ava literally belong together._ Looking at his new friend standing next to Snape, seemingly trying to collect herself, he hoped that Remus's dumb decision wasn't hitting her too hard. Lily had looked rather smug in Transfiguration that morning when she assured the boys that Ava was just fine and she was looking forward to discovering the genuine friend that she had found in the new Gryffindor.

Even though the boys sat down at a table several over from the one that Snape and Ava were occupying, they could still feel the aggressive look thrown their way by the wizard. Glancing over James's shoulder, Sirius made eye contact with the Slytherin and reluctantly gave him a single nod and then braced himself for his friends' reactions when Snape returned his nod. Surprisingly, they were so shocked that it seemed they couldn't form articulate responses. James's mouth kept opening and closing, while Peter stuttered, and Remus just looked at him in utter confusion.

With a sigh, Sirius held up his hand. "Let me explain." He hadn't realized until seeing the Slytherin that he hadn't told his friends about his truce with Snape, for now. _At least, until that git does what he always does_, he thought. "Snape and I have, uh, come to an…agreement of sorts. We're to tolerate each other for Ava, for the time being at least." Sirius raised his brows and let out a breath. "The last time we fought, Ava lost it and was right mad," he finished while rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're not serious, are you?" James exclaimed.

"Always am mate," Sirius replied with a smirk.

Remus and Peter couldn't help but smile, while James grumbled, "Not now, Padfoot."

He shrugged. "I don't know what you want me to say. For Ava's benefit, I have a temporary truce with Snape." He paused. "If you know what's good for you too, you'd do the same. Before Ava makes you."

James's eyes widened slightly as he gulped. "Yeah, well, whatever."

Remus chuckled. "Eloquently said, Prongs."

Sirius pointed a finger at Remus threateningly. "Don't _you_ even start." He knew how difficult it was for Ava to accept his friend as her soulmate, and just when it seemed like she had come around to the idea, Remus went and blew it.

* * *

Severus felt himself nodding towards Sirius Black even though he could barely believe it. _The lengths I'm willing to go to for that witch_, he thought as his gaze turned onto Ava. She had put her back towards the Marauders and appeared to be trying to rein in her emotions. Her face was ashen and her fists were clenched by her sides. "Are you about to have another episode?" he asked, preparing himself to dive through Ava's schoolbag for a potion.

But she shook her head. "No, I don't think so." She let out a shaky breath. "If I do, I don't have a full dose with me anyway since I had to take some this morning during breakfast."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ava let out a quick, bitter laugh. "Remus asked someone to go with him to Hogsmeade next week. Allison Clover." Her shoulders slumped as she hugged herself. "I think I was about to have a panic attack right there at the table when he said that, but my chest flared in pain, so I left, knowing what was coming. I had already taken the first potion of the day when I woke up, so I tried just taking a couple of sips, and it worked. I drank the rest later, like usual, but I had to drink some of another dose to have the full amount."

Severus didn't say anything because his thoughts were racing. _This changes the parameters of the potion. But how would such a small dose be effective enough? Possibly because it was administered immediately?_ He had tuned Ava out, but was drawn back in by the waver in her voice. He glanced at her face to see tears forming in her eyes and his brow creased slightly. He didn't realize that she was so upset about the werewolf asking another girl out. From everything that Ava had said to him about their relationship, she didn't seem to want any part of it.

She must've sensed the confusion on his face. "I might've, uh, come around to the idea of being with Remus," she explained while wringing her hands in front of her. He raised a brow, expecting her to elaborate. "Well, apparently last night, Remus could smell me on Sirius's robes—because of his heightened sense of smell, you know—and he got upset enough with Sirius to punch him and—"

He smirked. "That's why the imbecile has a black eye?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "Yes. Anyway, Remus called me his mate." Severus's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. Ava let out a small laugh. "I know, right?"

"And he purposefully requested the company of _another_ witch to Hogsmeade?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

Her face dropped and she nodded. "I couldn't breathe, Severus," she whispered. "It was like he had punched right through my ribs and tore out my heart." Ava flashed him a self-deprecating smile and said, "I know that sounds dramatic, but that's how it felt. I thought him admitting that I'm his mate was a step towards us accepting the soulmate bond between us, but I guess not." She had gotten quieter throughout her explanation, and was staring dejectedly at the ground by the time she finished.

Severus peeked around Ava and sent a glare to the werewolf, mentally flaying the boy alive. Even though only Black and Pettigrew noticed his hard look, he felt as though he had accomplished his job, considering that both of the Gryffindors looked like they pissed their pants. He stood and held out his hand. "Come. I'll help you locate the books you need, and you can…freshen up," he told her, looking pointedly at the tear tracks on her face. _Stupid wolf_, he cursed. _If Ava is feeling the pull of her magic, he must be feeling something too. Even if he doesn't have all of the information, he must have some inkling that Ava is romantically important to him._ Once Ava grasped his hand, he placed the other on her lower back and led her to the first row of books they could escape behind so Ava could gather her wits.

* * *

Remus walked into the library with his fellow Marauders expecting the usual: the other three would talk for a while before he could get them to settle down and accomplish some work, he would then have about thirty minutes of relative silence before James or Sirius got bored, and then they would inevitably be kicked out by Madame Pince or else they'd hightail it out of there to evade the strict librarian. So, when he picked up on Ava's pleasing scent and Moony perked up, he knew this attempt at studying would be different. His inner wolf was making quite the protest at the thought of not actually seeing the witch, but Remus was resolute. _Stick to the plan_, he urged himself as they approached a table a ways down from Ava and Snape. Instead of appealing to Remus's more sensitive side, Moony began growling in the back of his mind. He almost looked up at Ava then, but clenched his fists and refocused on taking out his homework. Regardless of whatever hold Remus thought he had over Moony, something compelled him to glance at the girl he struggled to stop thinking about. _Must be because the full moon is only a few days away_, he quickly rationalized.

Ava's current state nearly forced Remus to his feet. Her face was unusually pale and even though he couldn't hear it, she was breathing rapidly based on the quick movement of her chest. She had shed her robes while working, and had undone the top couple of buttons on her uniform shirt, allowing for Remus's imagination to get the better of him._ Don't look at her chest!_ he scolded himself. In response, Moony growled, Mate, from the recesses of his mind. The wizard gulped, not knowing if Moony meant that as a label for his relationship to Ava or if it was what he wanted to do with the witch. Movement from behind Ava caught the werewolf's attention, and he noticed Snape nodding in their direction. Looking around the table at his friends, it was easy to tell who Snape had been communicating with.

After Sirius's explanation, he felt proud of his friend for being able to set aside his differences with the Slytherin. However, he felt a little nauseous after the reprimand from the Animagus. He had almost instinctual reservations about asking out Allison Clover, but he was just trying to protect Ava in the long run. _Merlin knows she has enough to handle without an obsessed werewolf pursuing her._ He could feel that protectiveness rising once more as his eyes flickered over to the distracting witch, who had her back turned to their table now. Snape was holding out his hand and saying something to her. Remus concentrated, trying to hear what they were saying to one another, but all he could hear was a faint buzzing of some sort. When Ava dropped her hand into Snape's, it took every bit of Remus's self-control to not storm over to the pair and rip Ava away from the wizard. Although he may have advocated being on more friendly terms with the Slytherin the other week when Ava waltzed with Snape, arm in arm, into the Great Hall, that was before he watched the pair now, seemingly powerless to stop Snape from disappearing with her into the library stacks. While the werewolf had never partook in the darker, more secluded areas of the library ripe for make-out sessions, his imagination once again ran away with him. But this time, it wasn't him causing sounds of pleasure to be released from Ava's perfect lips, but Snape.

Without his permission, Remus released a growl, startling his table-mates. He couldn't tolerate the mere thought of Ava being intimate with someone else. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and brushed off his friends' inquiries. Remus pretended to read over his Defense essay as he absentmindedly bounced the quill in his hand. The aggressive reaction towards Snape and his actions towards Ava alarmed the werewolf. Remus had never had such a visceral response to seeing another guy interacting with a crush of his. _Merlin! I didn't even blink that time Sirius cozied up to Delilah Owens_, he thought, his mind whirling in a storm of confusion and conflicting feelings. This occurrence only served to further solidify Remus's belief that he needed to distance himself from Ava, and that Moony's, and his own, fixation on her was unhealthy.

* * *

After collecting the recommend tomes, Ava followed behind Severus back to their table, desperately hoping that the Marauders had cleared out. She covered her mouth with a hand to keep in the sorrowful sigh resting just behind her lips. The deep-seated ache that had taken place of the sharp pain in her chest felt so much worse, especially because it only acted as a reminder that Remus had referred to her as his mate and then consciously asked another girl on a date. Sitting in her seat, with her back to the four Gryffindors, seemed to help a bit. _Out of sight, hopefully out of mind_, she thought. Locking eyes with Severus, Ava deciphered his look to be signaling "_Stay strong, McGonagall_" and she responded with a firm nod and moved to open the first book for research. She must've guessed close enough to his true meaning, because the corners of Severus's mouth twitched and he returned her nod before resuming his own work.

The essay topic was comprehensive enough for Ava to lose track of the fact that Remus was sitting only a handful of tables behind her. Her focus was such that she hadn't even noticed the Marauders' departure until Severus silently prodded at her with his quill and pointed it over her shoulder. Once she noticed the empty table, Ava attempted to give the Slytherin a small smile that probably came out as a grimace. Since they were both paused in their work, Ava asked, "Would you want to get dinner in the Kitchens and then go up to the Room of Requirement for a little before we head to the Potions lab?"

Severus raised a curious brow, but nodded nonetheless. "That would be acceptable."

"Will you be ready in about twenty minutes or so?"

"Yes. I'm nearly finished."

The studious pair completed their homework and ate dinner with an amiable conversation, focusing on school and their classes. Ava interrogated Severus about O.W.L.S. and what the sixth and seventh-year courses were like. She specifically stayed away from asking more personal questions. For instance, what his life was like before Hogwarts, knowing that he wouldn't take kindly to that line of questioning, even though she wanted to know. Ava knew that she need to earn that level of trust with Severus first. Once they were in the Room of Requirement, which had merely conjured a fireplace and sitting area, she sat Severus down and explained the concept of her notebook. Noticing his appreciation of the charms the bounded parchment was imbued with, Ava told him that she got the spells from the Marauders with a wide grin.

The Slytherin grimaced. "Was there a particular reason you dragged me here, witch?" he snapped at her without much heat in his voice.

"Oh yes!" Ava went on to clarify the reason behind the notebook, and hesitantly added that she wanted him to have the passwords, just in case. She could see Severus tensing in his seat. "It's just a precaution. I've already told Professor McGonagall too."

"As if that makes it any better," he quipped before taking a deep breath. "I suppose this just further proves that you truly know things about our world and the darkness that resides within some of its inhabitants."

Ava's gaze unfocused as she stared towards the notebook, letting Severus's comment draw her mind elsewhere. Seemingly not wanting to let her dwell upon depressing thoughts, the wizard cleared his throat and prompted her for the passwords.

"You press the tip of your wand to the parchment and say 'Zac Efron' to reveal the information, and then do the same, but say 'Red Vines' to conceal the information again."

Severus pulled a face and said, "That's absurd. Where did you even get those phrases?"

Ava couldn't help but laugh at his incredulous reaction. Severus rolled his eyes at her antics. "They have a hidden meaning," she managed to say once her laughter had died down. He raised an expectant brow. "One that you would not understand, nor appreciate." Anger quickly passed over his face, resulting in an eye roll from Ava this time. "Not because you're stupid, Severus, but because you aren't from my world."

He narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together for a few moments. "I suppose that's a clever idea then. Using words that no one in this world would associate with you because they have no knowledge of them."

Ava smiled and preened under his praise. She had Severus practice using the notebook, but decided to actually have him read it over only once the information was completely compiled and she actually needed his help to accomplish a task. She didn't feel up for having _that_ talk tonight. Her shoulders slumped slightly at the reminder of what could potentially happen if she didn't change the time line. Hoping Severus wouldn't notice her false enthusiasm, Ava perked up and asked about the potion they would attempt to create. Not one to waste time, the wizard agreed to explain his theories to Ava on their way to the dungeons.

* * *

Mere minutes before Severus and Ava's departure from the transformative, secret room, James and Sirius were sitting on their beds, eyes scouring their map for Avalynn's name. The two boys had come upstairs to their dorm in order to grab Exploding Snap, intending to head back downstairs and play with Remus and Peter, who were waiting on them, when James got the idea to find Ava and invite her up to their common room. Even though Sirius didn't entirely agree with James' idea, he stayed to monitor Prongs's behavior, depending on his findings. _Last thing I need is a raving mad James breaking down the door of the Potions lab like I did_, he thought.

"I don't see them," James said with confusion lacing his voice. Sirius looked over his shoulder, joining James in his search. "They've just _disappeared_!" he exclaimed.

Sirius didn't think it through when he started to say, "Oh, she must be—" and he suddenly couldn't speak. His mouth had shut itself on its own. Both boys were sporting eyes as wide as saucers.

"You okay?" James asked with a frown.

"Umm, I think so. Yeah! I can talk!" Sirius said, smiling, now standing in his excitement. "I don't know what happened. I was just gonna say that Ava's probably with Snape in—" and once again, his mouth had slammed closed of its own accord. He and James looked at each other for a few silent seconds when Sirius realized what exactly he had been about to reveal. "It's because of the Oath."

James tilted his head. "The oath?" Sirius nodded. A moment later, James was able to connect the dots. "The Oath!"

"Yeah, so…there's this place," Sirius started, trying to test the boundaries of the Oath. "We don't know about it, but she—" and it happened again. "Bloody hell!" he yelled as he clenched his fists and tensed his whole body, wanting to try again. "Ava knows something we don't know. Okay, so I can be vague, but as soon as I try to describe what it is that she knows, I can't."

James smiled. "That _is_ how a Wizard's Oath works, Padfoot." He stood from the bed and stowed the map away in his trunk before spelling it shut. "I'll just have to ask Ava herself now, won't I?" he asked with a grin.

Sirius huffed. "Yeah, but can't a bloke just chat with his best mate about cool stuff without falling under the trappings of a spell?" he lamented as they headed back downstairs.

* * *

The routine that Severus and Ava had developed in the Potions lab worked well in the witch's opinion. _A Potions and Defense lesson wrapped up in an experiment to help my soulmate bond side effects_, she thought.

However, instead of asking to duel, once the potion was set to brew, Severus pulled a book out of his schoolbag and handed it to Ava. "This is the text that I mentioned before."

She looked down to see that he had given her _How to be an Occlumens: An Easy, Seventy-Two Step Guide_. Ava's eyes bulged. "Seventy-two steps?"

Severus waved her off. "I've managed to condense it into about thirty. Give or take your mental capacity," he finished with a smile.

Ava huffed as she flipped to the table of contents. "Well, my mental capacity is just fine, thank you."

"Prove it."

She may have rolled her eyes, but Ava got right to reading. And for the remainder of their time in the lab, that's all she did. The book didn't seem very dense, but the pages were as thin as a sheet of phyllo dough. The author tended to ramble on, over-explaining the concepts to the reader, seemingly trying to sound poetic about the skill, but really just being too wordy, which irritated Ava to no end. At the sound of her first compliant, Severus cut her off immediately, stating that if she wished to master the skill, then she needed to understand every single aspect of it, regardless of how tedious the text may be.

When it came time to part ways, Ava insisted that she could walk back to her quarters alone, but Severus was hearing none of it. _Maybe he's spooked after my pseudo run-in with the Death Eaters earlier_, she considered. They made the trip in amiable silence until they reached the door to Ava's shared quarters with Professor McGonagall. "Thank you for being such a gentlemen, Severus," she said, teasing him.

"Don't mention it," he muttered, giving her a pointed look before he turned, heading back towards the dungeons with his robes billowing around him.

She smiled at his retreating figure before heading into her rooms. "Hi, Aunt Minerva," Ava said as she placed her schoolbag on the dining table, immediately noticing the presence of the older witch.

Her aunt was grading papers in the living room, and put them down at Ava's greeting. "Good evening, Ava. How was your day?"

Ava pressed her lips together. "It could've been better," she said softly, feeling the very real pain of heartache returning.

McGonagall tutted. "I daresay that it likely wasn't as bad as you think, dear. Come here, tell me about it."

Ava hesitated, but was won over by the reassuring smile that the older witch sent her way. The professor patted the seat on the sofa next to her, and as soon as Ava plopped herself down, the whole day just poured out. She decided to tell McGonagall everything, starting with Sirius knocking on their door that very morning. As she continued to describe the details of her day, Ava noticed that her aunt responded just as she needed. The professor commiserated with her over Remus's date, clucking distastefully at his choices, adding in supporting comments about her budding friendship with Lily, the way she managed to handle herself in the library, and her choice to trust Severus. The entire conversation felt therapeutic, making it more than obvious that Ava needed someone to talk with on a regular basis about everything going on in her life. Their discussion strongly reminded Ava of her typical talks with her mother, so it didn't surprise Ava later when she began sobbing once her bedroom door was closed, resigned to the fact that she'd never see her mom again. She immediately cast _Muffliato_, having memorized the spell from watching Severus perform it enough times. Even while blubbering, she managed to complete her nightly rituals and crawled into bed, curling up on her side, with her knees drawn to her chest. She cried herself to sleep for the thousandth time that week, wondering if she'd ever run out of tears.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. The holidays were hectic with flying back to the U.S. and visiting family in two different states. Yeesh :/ If you don't care for more personal notes from authors, feel free to skip ahead to the chapter, but if you don't mind, I have something I'd like to say to each and every one of you that's been keep up with this story. I have a long term goal over the next couple of years to become a self-published author, and over the holidays, I got more skepticism than encouragement from family members, which is super disheartening. However, my experience with this story has been the opposite because of everyone that's left a review or kudos. That is so incredibly encouraging, and I would like to thank each of you for doing so because it helps keep me motivated and focused on my end goal. I'm sort of using my fan fiction as practice for developing my writing skills and it's wonderful to see that there are people out there who actually enjoy what I'm writing. So, thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart :D
> 
> Thank you to MalfoyMouthJames_MMJ for the review and your kind words!!
> 
> I know this is a bit of a shorter chapter, but I didn't want anyone thinking that I've forgotten about the story, so here's a little bit to hold you over until this weekend, when I'll be posting another chapter.
> 
> Let me know what you think! :)

Chapter 20

Saturday found Avalynn and Professor McGonagall once again perusing the Hogwarts library for books related to soulmates. Ava followed her aunt reluctantly, feeling that it was of no use and a waste of their time. However, they managed to find a few more texts and retreated to McGonagall's office for a meeting with Madame Pomfrey and Mrs. Potter. As the professor explained it to Ava, the mother felt terrible about the trouble that her boys had gotten the young witch into and wanted to help in any way she could. According to McGonagall, Mrs. Potter believed that she was in possession of something that could prove useful. After receiving that news, Ava anxiously awaited the woman's arrival, barely able to focus on scanning the texts in front of her. With a huff, she closed and shoved away the last book that Hogwarts had to offer on soulmates. Everything mentioned was based on theory and conjecture.

"Don't be too discouraged, dear," McGonagall said while still reading her chosen book from the library.

Ava rolled her eyes, prompting Madame Pomfrey to repeat the older witch's sentiment. As the girl opened her mouth to retort, the Floo activated, revealing Mrs. Potter. After a brief greeting, the witches settled down in the comfy chairs a few steps away from professor's desk and in front of the crackling fire.

"Miss McGonagall, I'd like to apologize once again for my sons' behavior that has put you in this position," Mrs. Potter said. Reaching into her bag, she continued, "I've brought with me the Potter grimoire once again, in case one of you wanted to review the spellwork, but I've also brought what appears to be a diary kept by a Potter ancestor." The other three witches perked up at the news. "We have several journals kept by Potters over the years, but this was the only one that mentioned anything about the soulmate spell."

"Thank you so much," Ava told her, beaming.

"This was the least I could do, so please let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you."

Looking at Mrs. Potter's face, Ava could see the earnest expression was genuine, but not sure what to say, because Ava could definitely think of quite a few things she could use some help with, she merely nodded and reached out to take the smaller, leather bound book from the witch. The brown cover was blank except for the initials imprinted in neat cursive. She cast a glance at her aunt and gulped, trying to resist the hope bubbling up inside of her. _This could be it_, Ava thought as she peeled back the front cover. As she read through the first several pages of entries, she could feel the happy bubbles of hope disappearing, popping one by one, making way for desperation and then apathy to settle back in. Ava pressed her lips together and closed the journal, much to the surprise of the other witches, if their expressions were anything to go on. "Thank you," she told Mrs. Potter in a monotone voice while setting the book down on the table in the center of their seats.

"Ava, you should show a little more gratitude," Madame Pomfrey reprimanded as Professor McGonagall snatched up the diary and began reading it.

The young girl sighed and looked to the matron. "I know," she said before turning to Mrs. Potter. "I appreciate you coming here today, and for bringing the books. I really am thankful, it's just—"

"We already know this," McGonagall interrupted.

"Pardon?" Mrs. Potter asked.

The professor gave Ava a sympathizing look before asking, "May I explain to Mrs. Potter in more detail?"

"I don't see why not," she said with a shrug.

Her aunt shared a look with Madame Pomfrey. "At least from what I've read so far, Mrs. Potter, this person is merely describing sensations that Ava has already experienced and is currently experiencing."

The other woman gasped. "You'll need to read the rest of it then."

"What? Why?" Ava demanded.

At Mrs. Potter's hesitation, McGonagall spoke up. "Dorea, please. Whether you tell us, or we read it, we still need to know."

She nodded. "Very well." She looked to Ava. "I took the liberty of reading the diary, cover to cover, before bringing it here."

"Dorea," McGonagall snapped.

Without pausing for breath, Mrs. Potter blurted, "Any physical pain, headaches, or what might feel more like heartache, right in your chest, or moments where you lose self-control will only worsen the longer you resist."

Ava laughed bitterly. "Well, duh." Drawing surprised looks from the older witches, she explained, "It has been getting worse. Think about all the pain potions I've had to take just to function normally."

"Miss McGonagall, Ava—I'm truly sorry, dear, but it sounds like you're only at the beginning."

Ava frowned. "What?"

Dorea looked at her apologetically. "The person who wrote these entries, he goes on to explain that because of these symptoms, he eventually pursues a relationship with his intended. While his story ends pleasantly, the reasoning behind his actions is alarming. He describes another Potter ancestor who came before him, who was driven near mad without her soulmate once the connection was established. She had apparently loathed the man prior to casting the spell and refused to give into her magic."

"Oh," Ava whispered, her eyes glazed over in thought. She snapped back to attention when Mrs. Potter continued a moment later.

"You wouldn't happen to have a diary that belonged to this witch, would you?" McGonagall asked.

Mrs. Potter shook her head.

"Just my luck." Ava sighed as she leaned back into the over-sized chair and closed her eyes.

A throat cleared and Mrs. Potter asked, "Would it really be so terrible to be in a romantic relationship with Remus, dear?"

Ava opened her eyes and looked at the witch. "Well, it sure would be easier if he wasn't interested in other girls." Without waiting for a response, she resumed her position from before and let her thoughts run loose. _This is going nowhere. I can't just keeping pretending everything's fine if it's all going to get worse. It's hard enough as it is._ Dimly, Ava could hear her aunt elaborating on the most recent events regarding Remus to Mrs. Potter. _I can't just demand his attention suddenly. Especially when he just asked that Allison girl out._ Not yet willing to face the facts, she kept her eyes shut and tried to focus instead on reviewing the material covered in her classes that week.

"Ava, come here please," a stern voice said. The girl peeked her eyes open and found Madame Pomfrey looking at her expectantly while Mrs. Potter and her aunt looked on with mild frowns on their faces.

"Poppy?" McGonagall asked.

"I'd just like to run some tests," the matron said as Ava stood and made her way over to the witch. She could see now that Madame Pomfrey had been reading through the Potter wizard's diary.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Ava asked warily. Instead of receiving a reassuring smile from the nurse, she caught a glimpse of worry, which most certainly did not make Ava feel any better.

"There are subtle indications in this young man's diary of his magical core being depleted by the spell, while he was resisting, at least."

Ava clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to halt any tears in their tracks. _No, no, no, no. I just got my magic. How am I supposed to help change the time line without magic?_ She began breathing more rapidly in and out of her nose, with her fists balled at her sides. Feeling a hand wrap around each of her own, Ava opened her eyes, releasing the wetness she had been attempting to contain. McGonagall was holding one of Ava's hands tightly, with fierce determination etched on her face.

"Whatever the result of Poppy's diagnostics, we will be here for you, Ava," her aunt reassured as she wiped away the stray tears on the young girl's face.

Ava nodded once and turned, expecting to find Madame Pomfrey latched onto her other hand. She let out a soft gasp at finding Mrs. Potter to be the one clasping her hand so firmly.

Dorea said, "We can never reverse what has happened to you, child. But Charlus and myself, as well as James and Sirius, will be here for you. For whatever you may need, regardless of the outcome between yourself and Remus." She then turned to Madame Pomfrey and added, "Poppy, you know that I used to be a Head Healer at St. Mungo's. Let me help. Please."

Ava was taken aback by the amount of desperation behind Mrs. Potter's words, but had little time to ponder over it as the matron must've given the other witch the go ahead and both witches began casting spells simultaneously. Ava could feel magic falling over her for the next couple of minutes. Some spells felt heavy, like a thick, wool blanket covering her, while others caused her to feel a chill sweep down her body, resulting in goosebumps. Ava tried to maintain a hopeful face for her aunt, but she couldn't maintain eye contact after the first few spells. Both of the healers appeared unnerved by what they found, and trying to keep herself from falling into a black hole of despair, Ava directed her gaze towards the ground and refused to look up until the witches were finished.

A throat was cleared and Ava looked up to see all three of the witches watching her, with various degrees of worry on their faces. She began to wring her hands as she asked, "So?"

Mrs. Potter and Madame Pomfrey cast a quick glance at one another before the matron spoke. "Ava, your health is deteriorating. The results of our spells show that you're running yourself into the ground, draining too much of your magical core."

Ava frowned. "Yeah, but I already kinda knew that." While McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey sported furrowed brows, Mrs. Potter narrowed her eyes. "I mean, Severus told me that I was draining my magic, but I've stopped practicing late at night. And it takes time to get better, right?"

The professor opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Mrs. Potter. "Severus? Do you mean Severus Snape?"

"Yeah," Ava said warily with her arms crossed, expecting a parental speech about associating with Death Eaters.

Mrs. Potter's eyebrows raised. "Interesting," was all she said. This time, Ava narrowed her eyes at the woman.

"Ava, your magic doesn't seem to be healing itself," Madame Pomfrey said, breaking the staring contest between the student and mother.

She whipped her head to the matron. "What? What do you mean? Will I lose my magic?" she asked. When the two healers hesitated, Ava snapped, "Just tell me!"

Mrs. Potter looked to Madame Pomfrey, who slowly said, "If your magical core continues down the path it is currently on, you will deplete your core."

"Argh! Can't anything be easy in this world?!" Ava yelled before dropping herself into the chair. She rested her head in her hands, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. After several moments of silence, she lifted her head and said, "Well, I lived twenty-seven years as a Muggle, I can do so again." She frowned, palming her wand and held it up, rotating it slowly as if she was taking in one last look. "I suppose I'll need a lot more help than before." Not hearing any response, she glanced up at the other witches to see pity in their expressions. "What now?" she asked. Her aunt stepped forward and placed a hand on Ava's shoulder. Now that the witch was closer, she could see the unshed tears in the professor's eyes. "Aunt Minerva?" she asked in a small voice.

"Dear girl, when a witch or wizard loses their magical core, they don't simply become a Muggle." The older witch sat down in the chair beside Ava's. "Magic is sentient, remember? As a magical core is depleted, the magic lashes out, attempting to stay alive and present in the witch or wizard to whom they belong." She took a deep breath. "People usually end up being hurt as innocent bystanders, but ultimately, the process of magic separating from its witch or wizard is deadliest for the hosts themselves. If your magical core is depleted, Ava, you'll die."

Tears pricked behind Ava's eyes once more. "But—but—but I'm a Muggle," she stuttered out.

McGonagall shook her head slowly. "You were in your world, but not here. You have magic, here, Ava, and that's not going to change."

Madame Pomfrey cleared her throat. "But what can change is you. You simply cannot continue to resist the soulmate spell and attempt to master magic so quickly. You will die, Avalynn McGonagall," the matron stated in a tone that brokered no argument.

Ava pressed her lips together while wiping away her tears, trying to think quickly, before any of the witches had bright ideas about setting her and Remus up or changing her class schedule. "Alright," she said, standing up and pacing. "I'll spend more time around Remus, letting my magic mooch off of him. That should keep the edge off. And I'll dial it back in my classes." She sniffled and looked at Professor McGonagall. "I won't change my classes, but I'll work through the material a bit slower until my core is back to normal." Turning to Madame Pomfrey, "When will I know if it's back to normal?"

"I'll be able to tell you almost as soon as it happens because you'll be coming to the Hospital Wing for a daily check-up, young lady."

Ava scoffed. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

Mrs. Potter let out a small noise of amusement, gaining everyone's attention. "Ava, you are quite literally killing yourself at this rate. I think that warrants drastic measures to ensure your health."

The girl turned to the matron and her aunt to see looks of agreement. "Fine," she muttered and looked back to see the corners of Mrs. Potter's mouth twitching, reminding Ava of Severus. _Damn_, she thought. _Nearly forgot that Dorea Potter was a Slytherin. Huh. That must be why she was so interested in my friendship with Severus earlier._ Ava mentally rolled her eyes. _Ridiculous house rivalries_. Although, she supposed that a lecture wouldn't be necessary with Mrs. Potter, considering she married a Gryffindor.

A comment from Madame Pomfrey pulled Ava from her thoughts. "Ava, what physical or mental symptoms are you currently experiencing? We should keep track to be more thorough with documenting your recovery."

"Oh, good Lord. You make it sound so—" she said while gesticulating wildly with her hands.

"Ava. Hush with your nonsense and answer Madame Pomfrey," McGonagall snapped, reminding Ava that she was very much indeed a teacher.

The girl sighed. "Well, you know about the dizzy spells and the tremors I get in my hands, but that's from the pain potions, not the connection with Remus."

The matron and professor looked relieved that Ava wasn't displaying any other negative side affects from the potions or the spell, but Mrs. Potter spoke up. "Surely, you don't typically have such dark circles under your eyes. And you seem a bit paler since we last met."

"It's not like I spend much time outside getting a tan," Ava grumbled. But Mrs. Potter's words caused the other two witches to look over Ava once more and they seemed to agree.

"She's right, Ava. I guess we didn't notice, being around you as much, but you do look worn out," her aunt said.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks. But like we all agreed to, I'll come in for check-ups every day. It'll be fine."

After several moments of silence, Mrs. Potter took the opportunity to say what the other witches were thinking. "Ava, surely you can see the merits of being in a romantic relationship with Remus. If you were to explain the situation to him, I'm positive that he'd be pleased to help you. He's a lovely boy."

Typically, Ava would've snapped at the woman or perhaps sighed in frustration, but after the revelation that she could die, telling Remus the truth sounded much more appealing. However, Mrs. Potter's wording gave her pause. "That's the problem though, isn't it? He's a genuinely nice person, so of course he'd want to help." She looked at each of the witches while saying, "I want Remus to be with me because he has true feelings for me. Not because he feels some sort of obligation to me. Because of the way the magic works, how else am I suppose to know that he really wants to be with me, for me? I'll be second guessing our relationship for the rest of our lives. And I don't want him to worry about the same thing from me either."

McGonagall and Pomfrey looked at Ava with pride, while Mrs. Potter flashed her an appreciative look before storming up to her and wrapping the young girl in a tight hug. "Just so you know, dear. I approve," she whispered in Ava's ear. She took a step back and held Ava at arms' length. "Remus is a delightful boy, and deserves someone wonderful. Even though it seems that you are meant to be together because of the spell, I'm certain he'll have no trouble at all falling for you. I hope you can find your happiness with him."

Ava could feel her cheeks reddening and nodded. It was rather embarrassing for the adults to speak so resolutely about her potential relationship with Remus considering the bond would be fully formed once they had sex. But she did enjoy the rush of warmth throughout her body, indicating that her magic approved of her line of thinking. Now released from Mrs. Potter's grasp, Ava told them, "Alright. I'll spend more time around Remus, like I said, but as a _friend_. I have no intentions of sweeping him off his feet. For crying out loud, he's got a date with another girl this upcoming weekend."

"That may be true," Dorea admitted with a frown, "But he'll come around. Think about the way your magic is reacting. He's got to be experiencing something similar. Didn't the boys tell you that while Remus was transformed he enjoyed your company?"

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything," Ava dismissed. "But I don't think I can be around him by myself just yet. I'll work on my self-control with James and Sirius helping me first," she told the room. Thinking to herself, Ava considered that Occlumency would probably help with her control as well. And apparently she needed to learn spells to cover up her pale skin and baggy eyes since they were dead giveaways to her deteriorating health.

Over the next half hour or so, the three older witches caught up on the latest news and gossip while Ava completed her homework. When lunchtime rolled around, Mrs. Potter and Madame Pomfrey bid their goodbyes and Ava headed out to the Great Hall with her aunt. They were nearly to the dining room when Ava spotted James and Sirius, thankfully without Remus. "I'll see you after lunch Aunt Minerva," she said before dashing over to the boys.

She popped up between James and Sirius and attempted to wrap her arms around their shoulders, despite their height differences. "Well, hello boys," she said with a grin.

"Ava!" James greeted happily.

"What are you smiling about?" Sirius asked.

"I've got something to tell you," Ava announced as she tried to steer the boys to the edge of the corridor. She eyed the last groups of students entering the Great Hall and then whispered to the boys, "I want to date Remus." Wide grins overcame both of their faces, and as Sirius opened his mouth to speak, Ava held up a finger. "However, I'm going to be his friend first and foremost. I'm going to get to know him better, and I want him to get to know me better too, and we'll see where it goes from there." The boys' faces morphed into confusion.

"What about his date with Allison?" James asked.

Ava shrugged and looked to the ground. "What about it?" she replied in a small voice.

A hand reached out, gently cupped Ava's chin and lifted her head. "Ava, you shouldn't have to put up with that bullshit from him. And you don't have to. We can take care of it for you," James told her gently as he released her chin.

Ava smiled. "As much as I appreciate the sentiment guys, I'd rather our relationship be natural, not a product of Marauder schemes." Catching the pouts from the pranksters in front of her, Ava added, "Unless they're preapproved, of course."

"I knew you'd come around to our ingenious methods one day," Sirius said as he wrapped an arm around Ava's shoulder, leading her towards the Great Hall.

Ava reached out to grip James's arm, tugging him along. "In all seriousness though, I'm going to really need your help around Remus. At least for a bit. I need to gain enough self-control around him first, and then I'll be able to be alone with him."

"Ooooo, hear that Padfoot?" James asked with a waggle of his eyebrows. "She wants to get our Moony all alone. Who knows what she wants to do to him?"

"Shut up," Ava grumbled as she smacked James on the arm.

"Poor bloke, Moony. Doesn't even know what he's getting himself into. Feisty, physical abuser," Sirius joked.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Like I actually hit you hard enough to make it hurt."

Sirius halted in his steps, causing James and Ava to stop and look back at him. Sirius was holding his hand over his heart and dramatically said, "Maybe not, but this is where it hurts the most, Ava dearest."

"Good Lord!" Ava yelled as she threw her arms up in the air. She took several steps back, retreating to the dining hall. James and Sirius seemed to look over her shoulder before glancing at one another briefly, and threw smirks in Ava's direction. "What?" she called, taking another step backwards. Not getting a response from either of them, and hungry for lunch, Ava continued to back up blindly towards the Great Hall. She could've sworn that the smirks on James's and Sirius's faces grew, if at all possible. "You're ridiculous," she told both boys before turning on her heel, intending to enter the dining hall. However, that's not what happened. Ava instantly collided with someone, causing her to lose balance. _That's odd_, she thought while watching the stone floor approach her face rapidly. She was contemplating the spark of warmth and comfort that ignited within her at the touch of the other person when she was suddenly halted in place. Strong hands were wrapped around her, pulling her upright, close to a pleasantly warm body. Ava closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to gather her wits. _Oh boy, this guy smells amazing_, she thought, assuming that whoever scooped her up so quickly had to be of the male persuasion, especially with that intoxicating scent. _Wonder what cologne he uses_. Without a second thought, Ava leaned back in towards the hard chest of her rescuer, gripping his robes tightly within her hands, and took another whiff of the tantalizing aroma. Somewhere within the recesses of her mind, Ava could tell that people were calling her name and trying to get her attention, but she didn't care. She just wanted to stay and bask in the warm solace she had found in this person's embrace.

Unfortunately, that decision wasn't entirely up to Ava. Hands began to pry her away from the person, forcing an unconscious, disappointed whine from the back of her throat as she scrambled to hold on to his robes. At Ava's noise of protest, her rescuer gripped her tightly once more, but the subsequent rumbling growl that emanated from his chest caused Ava's eyes to flicker open in alarm. _Remus_, she thought briefly before pushing herself away from the delicious smelling body she had snuggled up to. She quickly stepped away from him, and stared resolutely at the ground, afraid to see his expression. _Way to go, Ava. Clinging to someone like that is creepy as all hell, and of course it had to be Remus._ She began to nudge around him, trying to escape into the Great Hall, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Ava?" Remus asked gruffly.

Reluctantly, she turned and slowly lifted her head to see him looking over her face in concern. "Remus?" she asked in a small voice, afraid to make matters worse. His eyes kept flashing between green and amber, causing Ava to feel a little uneasy. She wasn't sure how long she could maintain her composure.

Remus slid his hand down Ava's arm to grasp her hand, sending a wave of heat throughout her body. He shook his head minutely and leaned closer to her, with entrancing green eyes, and whispered, "Whatever that was, whatever just happened, we don't need to talk about it. It's okay, alright?" Ava's eyes widened in surprise and she nodded dumbly with her mouth hanging open. "We're still friends, right?" he asked, with a trace of worry.

"Of—of course," Ava replied. Seeing that her response caused Remus to smile, she couldn't help but grin in return, thankful that they were able to put this whole interaction behind them and forget about it. It took all of her self-control to step away from him. "I'll see you in there," she told him before looking pointedly at James and Sirius, who were standing silently behind Remus. Without waiting for a response, she turned and finally headed into lunch.

* * *

Remus had sat down for lunch in the Great Hall and filled up his plate as Peter did the same. He glanced around the room and the entrance, looking for James and Sirius. Those two troublemakers had been right behind him just a few minutes ago. With a sigh, he stood and retraced his steps in search of his friends. Not surprisingly, he found them talking with Ava right outside the Great Hall. He opened his mouth to speak, but then noticed the smirks that graced James's and Sirius's faces at the sight of him. _What're they looking so smug about_, he thought with a frown. Since he was focused on his fellow Marauders' expressions, Remus didn't see that Ava was faced away from him, and therefore had no idea that he was standing right behind her.

As soon as she tumbled into him, Remus had reflectively reached out towards her, but within no time at all, her smell was overwhelming his senses. _I absolutely adore her scent_, he mentally admitted while breathing in the air around Ava and holding her close. He intended to merely let her regain her balance, but he was finding it rather difficult to let go of the witch when she burrowed her face into his chest and released a happy sigh. Although he was surprised by her reaction, Remus could feel himself, and Moony, responding to Ava's proximity. Feeling a tug, he looked up to see that James and Sirius were calling her name, trying to separate them. _Oh, Merlin_, he thought. _I don't know if I can. I certainly don't want to._ His thoughts caused a pleasant warmth to race throughout his body. Hearing a desperate whimper from Ava as Sirius attempted to pull her away solidified his thoughts. He didn't want to let go. _Ava's mine_, he thought, punctuated by a growl.

Suddenly, Ava was ripped from his grasp, and he glanced around, determined to assert his dominance. _No one takes our mate_, he heard Moony clearly state in the back of his mind. But upon finding that Ava had released herself from his grasp, Remus warred with Moony, trying to regain control. While her gaze was directed downward, he could tell from the way she seemed to fold in on herself and refused to look at him, that Ava felt ashamed. He immediately felt guilty. _She doesn't know that it's the pull of being my mate that's affecting her._ Remus quickly thought over his interactions with the new Gryffindor, which only strengthened his conclusion. _Yeah, that's got to be it. I can't let her walk away like this._ Not wanting to ruin whatever potential future he had with Ava, he reached out and stopped her as she attempted to storm past him into the Great Hall.

"Ava?" he asked, hoping that she wouldn't leave without hearing him out.

She raised her blue eyes to his and Remus nearly lost all of his resolve then and there. "Remus?" she asked in a soft, sweet voice. But her tone had an edge of worry to it, and he wanted to reassure her. Dropping his hand from her shoulder, he lightly trailed down her arm and wrapped her hand up in his. Ava seemed to shudder slightly at the sensation. _I wonder if that's an affect of being my mate._ As soon as Remus completed that thought, he could feel his magic come to life. It seemed to swirl happily around his chest and torso before shooting out into his extremities, leaving a warm, tingly feeling behind. _Maybe this is right if my magic agrees_, he contemplated. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his thoughts. Wanting to convey the truth behind his words, Remus leaned closer to Ava, maintaining eye contact. "Whatever that was, whatever just happened, we don't need to talk about it. It's okay, alright?" he said. _I don't want to freak her out and avoid me again._ He felt needy asking, "We're still friends, right?", but he desperately wanted Ava to feel comfortable around him.

"Of—of course," she told him, looking a little confused. But once Remus flashed her a smile, Ava returned it, letting him feel at peace again. Thankful that he wouldn't need to fret over Ava's avoidance of him, the smile stayed on his face as he watched her walk away.

For a few moments it was silent, then James crept up behind the werewolf and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm glad you finally came around, Moony," James said. "I was beginning to think I'd have to threaten to leave Prongs at home this full moon if you didn't change your mind about Ava."

Remus startled and looked like a deer in headlights for a split second before he groaned and ran a hand down his face. "Did that really just happen with Ava?" he asked sheepishly. He could remember every moment, every detail, but it was almost like some other version of himself had been controlling his body.

Sirius's expression turned stormy. "Yes, it did, Remus. You can't keep changing your mind about her like that."

James frowned and glanced at Sirius. "What do you mean, changing his mind?" He looked back at Remus, who was now sporting a guilty expression.

"Look, guys, I don't know if that's what's best for Ava, you know?" the werewolf said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, you'll be friends at least, right?" James clarified, his face revealing thoughts of meddling.

"Yeah."

"And you'll tell Allison that you can't go on the date with her?" Sirius added, with his arms crossed.

"Well-" Remus started, prompting Sirius to stomp off without waiting for him to finish. He sighed and looked at James. "It's just, well, how am I supposed to know if Ava's really my mate if I don't try with someone else? If I can be with someone else, maybe she can too. She wouldn't have to be tied down to me." Remus could feel his heart tug at the thought, painfully reminding him that Ava was supposed to be his mate.

The conflict and worry clouding his thoughts must've been obvious because James sighed deeply. "Look, mate. Do whatever you have to do to figure out your feelings, but try not to hurt Ava in the process, yeah?" James offered before leaving Remus standing in the entrance, alone with his thoughts and unable to forget about what he just experienced with Ava.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm trying super hard now to keep to a regular update schedule, so here you go! Happy weekend :)
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's left comments or kudos on this story! :) 
> 
> Bad news: No Remus in this chapter
> 
> Good news: #Friendshipgoals for Ava :)
> 
> Remember: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 21**

Avalynn was sitting in the chilly dungeon contemplating her literal close encounter with Remus earlier in the day while Severus reviewed his personal notes for their next attempt at perfecting a long-term pain potion. Following her run-in with the werewolf, Ava had kept to herself during lunch, mostly too confused to contribute to the group's conversation in a typical manner. And that's how she progressed throughout the day. Confused. She didn't even have the chance to discuss her thoughts with Sirius or James since they had to head out to the Quidditch pitch for practice, and talking to Lily was off the table since she left for the library with Remus. Ava leaned forward onto the wooden worktable with her elbows, resting her chin in her hands, still trying to wrap her head around the interaction with Remus. During lunch, she hadn't needed any help staying grounded because her magic didn't act out, not even one bit. _That's only got to be because I was so close to him before. I mean, we were hugging for like at least a minute_, she reasoned mentally. Ava couldn't help but be pulled back to that moment within her memories. Her eyes closed, recalling the enticing scent Remus gave off and the feeling of nuzzling into Remus's well-formed chest, wrapping her fingers up in the fabric of his robes.

"Ava!"

She startled, nearly falling from the stool where she was perched. "Wha—what? What's wrong?" She glanced around the Potions lab, not noticing anything amiss and turned to her friend. "Severus?" The Slytherin gently flicked her forehead, causing a pout to form on Ava's face. "What's that for?" she asked as she rubbed the spot.

Severus rolled his eyes. "If daydreaming is going to be a problem for you, I can simply work on this potion alone."

She scrambled from her seat. "No, not at all. I'm here, present and ready to assist, Mr. Potions Master, sir." She made sure to stand tall and gave him a little salute before cracking a smile. "Seriously, though. What do you need me to do?"

Severus looked to be keeping his amusement contained, if the twitching of the corners of his mouth were anything to go by. "You can help me in the store room. We need to collect the ingredients for the potion." Ava started listing the ones that they had used before as they made their way to the store room, but he cut her off. "We're using different ones this time. I want to test a theory I have about an extended release pain potion." At Ava's inquisitive expression, he explained, "Based on the episode you experienced last week, an immediate consumption of the potion seemed to be effective, so I'd like to try creating a single dose potion that stays in your system longer. As opposed to merely increasing the strength of the potion, this one would simply take longer to break down, thus providing you with a steady dose of pain suppressants throughout the day."

Ava couldn't help the wide grin that broke out on her face. She stopped walking, placing her hand on Severus's arm to stop him as well. "You know that's really brilliant, right?" She could see his cheeks reddening, but wanted to make sure he knew how much this meant to her. "You aren't even out of school yet, Severus. You're a genius with this stuff."

He shifted on his feet. "Yes, well—"

"I really do appreciate everything that you're doing for me, especially because you don't have to." Without giving the wizard a chance to respond, Ava wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he said, punctuating each word with an awkward pat on her back.

Laughing, Ava pulled back from him. "You'll get used to it some day," she said before continuing on towards where the ingredients were stored.

"Not bloody likely," he grumbled behind her.

They set about preparing the various components of the potion, and were nearly done when Ava's hands began to tremble slightly. She made a noise of irritation, drawing the attention of her partner. Thankfully, Severus didn't let his expression show any pity, but nonetheless, he reached out and gently took the knife from Ava's shaking hand. "Why don't you go ahead and review the text I gave you on Occlumency?" She mumbled a quiet protest, but dug through her schoolbag to locate the book. "You're going to need the refresher because I'll be testing you once the potion has set." Unlike previous times experimenting, the pair couldn't simply leave the potion in stasis at first since it required a more attention when it came to stirring. But soon enough, Severus redirected his attention to Ava, who was currently squinting at the pages in front of her, nearly close enough to learn through osmosis. "Ready?" he asked, stepping away from the worktable and drawing his wand.

She closed the book and sat up on her stool. Eyeing his wand, she asked, "What's that for?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I've got to test you somehow, don't I?"

Ava's mouth dropped open. "But—but you could just ask me questions about how to occlude," she protested.

He sneered. "And what good would that do if someone were to actually attempt to get into that simple head of yours?"

She frowned. "Hey! I'll show you simple," she said while pulling out her Blackthorn and immediately raising it, intent on casting something that would teach the Slytherin punk a lesson in how to talk to your friends.

Realizing his mistake, Severus raised his hands in surrender. "Why don't you show me with your mind? I'll be gentle at first so that you can see what it feels like to have someone else inside your mind."

She crossed her arms with a huff of annoyance, but compiled. "Fine."

"You've practiced picturing your mental shield, yes?"

"Yep." Ava shook out her arms and settled her feet, almost as if she were preparing to step up to bat at home plate. "Let's do this," she said, looking back up at Severus with determination in her eyes.

"Merlin, Ava. We aren't battling for our lives here. This is a _mental_ exercise," Severus said with an amused expression.

She blushed but tried to defend herself. "Well, one never knows," she replied, thinking of a distinct time in which a particular Potions professor battled for dominance with one Harry Potter when teaching him Occlumency as well.

"I'm going to start by probing your mind to see how you've built your shield, and we'll go from there." Ava nodded, indicating that she was ready. "_Legilimens_," he said firmly.

To say that it was odd feeling someone else inside of your mind would be a vast understatement. It was as if someone were reading over your shoulder, but every time you turned to catch him, he disappeared. Ava could feel Severus's presence in her mind, but she couldn't pinpoint his location, though she tried with all of her might. She had thought long and hard about what to use as her mental shield while reading over the different techniques one could employ. She wanted some sort of landscape that she could easily manipulate, but that someone else would struggle to not get lost in. The only problem was that she couldn't maintain a vast enough shield to protect her entire mind yet. Every time she felt Severus pop up in a different position, she'd throw her shield up there, hoping that he wouldn't be able to get through. Without warning, her vision cleared and she was back in the Potions lab.

"A mountainous forest, interesting choice of shield," he told her with a small smile.

Ava preened under his praise. "Thank you. I'm using a combination of the Rocky Mountains and the Black Forest. I was hoping that the density of trees, like in the Black Forest, would be difficult for someone to navigate through, and then the Rockies would would add to that, but then serve as a last line of defense if need be."

Severus looked thoughtful. "Want to try again?" Ava nodded and once again, he said, "_Legilimens_."

Ava could feel herself shiver at the thought of another presence within her mind. Thankfully, she knew it was just Severus, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness that had settled around her. It was as though the trace of him in her mind was a shadow or a memory of long ago. She couldn't feel him moving through her mind like before, and she was starting to panic. There were memories that she wasn't ready for him to see yet. She threw the shield across her mind, but it was only a slightly elevated forest with sparse trees. It was laughable. She could feel a presence crowding her mind, and whipped around, looking for him, but couldn't feel anything besides her own shield. Suddenly, she was back in the dungeons, sweat dripping down her face and fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Severus was frowning at her. "I could sense your panic. What was wrong?"

"I could barely feel you!" she yelled, causing the wizard to chuckle at her. Ava stomped her foot and crossed her arms. "I didn't like it, not one bit."

"That was the point, Ava. I only let you feel me the first time."

Her mouth dropped open. "Seriously?" In a daze, she wandered over to a stool at the worktable and leaned against it, looking at the stone floor.

Severus must've picked up on how she felt because he said, "You've only just started, you know. If you approach this with the same grit and determination that you have with the rest of your studies, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time."

"You think so?" she asked in a small voice without looking up.

Ava could hear him sigh as he approached her. Feeling a few gentle pats on her back, she glanced up and burst out laughing. While Severus may have been attempting to be a good friend and give her some reassurance, his face showed otherwise. "You look constipated," she managed to get out in between laughs.

"Yes, well. Do you feel better? Looks like it. Now, let's move on, shall we?" he snarked back as he preoccupied himself with straightening his robes. He resumed his position from before while saying, "Now, last time I was moving through your mind, but I wasn't looking for memories like someone usually would. I wanted you to understand what a more experienced Legilimens would feel like. You might notice another presence, but it would be very subtle. I'm hardly an expert yet, so someone more skilled than I, say the Dark Lord—" he gave her a pointed look before continuing, "might not give any indication of being within your mind. However, you can also build up the skill of detecting someone."

Ava nodded. "Good. Let's go again."

Severus drew his wand. "_Legilimens_."

Their back and forth continued for quite some time, with Severus prodding against Ava's shield as she attempted to strengthen it. Eventually, she was able to track his presence, when he let her, and construct a thick enough shield in that spot to contain him for a bit. Both of them sat on their stools, slightly out of breath and sipped some water. "Your mental shield is very adequate for someone who just started," Severus told Ava.

"Thanks," she muttered while placing down her water glass and standing once again.

Severus gave her a look of surprise. "You want to continue?"

"Yep. We've got, what? Twenty more minutes on the potion? Let's keep going."

Without warning, Severus said, "_Legilimens_," and was within her mind instantaneously.

Not prepared, Ava began to panic and willed her shield to form. It felt strong, like before, but she could tell that Severus hadn't tried to penetrate it yet. Ava maintained her focus and breathed deeply to settle her nerves. She was only given a slight indication of where Severus would attack her shield a second before he unleashed his power, crashing through her forest of frees like a battering ram. It was only a few moments until he was blasting right through it. Thankfully, instead of perusing her memories, he changed locations, letting her reconstruct the shield. She was able to do so once again, but he tore through it faster this time. Her vision quickly cleared to reveal Severus looking over her in concern. Realizing that she was sweating profusely and panting, she could see why.

"I think that's enough for tonight. We can always continue tomorrow," he told her with a frown.

She waved him off. "I'm fine. Just give me a minute, and I'll be good to go," she said leaning forward on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"

Thoughts of an orphaned Harry Potter, growing up without his family flashed in her mind. _My friends_, she thought with a pang in her chest. Her friends would die, become falsely imprisoned, or ostracized. Even those who survived the First Wizarding War would greet death in the second war once Voldemort was resurrected. She shook her head, dispelling those dark thoughts and stood tall, facing Severus. "Because this is important. Now, let's go again."

He stared at Ava blankly before slowly raising his wand and saying, "_Legilimens_," with a little more force behind it.

Like before, Ava was able to form her shield, seemingly as strong as it was before, but Severus ripped through it on his first try. Knocked back into reality, Ava became frustrated and snapped, "Again."

Severus crossed his arms. "No."

Ava glared at him. "I said 'Again'."

He scoffed. "And I said 'No'."

Trying a different approach, Ava sneered at him. "What? Are you too worn out Severus? Don't want a girl getting the better of you?"

Seeing through her pathetic attempt, he rolled his eyes. "Fine. _Legilimens_."

He at least gave Ava time to prepare the landscape of her shield, but she was too exhausted to conjure much. Just a few densely packed patches of pines that knocked Severus off his path. He didn't take any effort to hide his annoyance because Ava could feel it echoing throughout her mind right before she was pulled back into the Potions lab.

"Alright! We're done," he yelled, turning away from Ava towards the worktable.

"No! I'm not finished," Ava said, taking deep breaths and wiping sweat from her forehead. She knew she should stop, but it was difficult for her to tolerate any amount of failure when people's lives were on the line.

Severus sighed and turned to her. "You're clearly beyond the threshold of being able to hold your own right now, so let's just resume tomorrow."

Face red with exertion, Ava remained immovable. "C'mon," she said while motioning him towards her. When Severus didn't move, she added, "I _have_ to do this Severus."

"Why? What's the rush?" he asked, dark eyes seemingly scanning her face for any indication of the truth.

Ava's fists were white-knuckled at her sides. "Because I don't want anyone to get the best of me. Now, can we go again, please?" she snapped.

Severus took a couple steps closer to her as he narrowed his eyes. "Why are you taking this so personally?" Ava opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a cry of "_Legilimens_."

It was impossible for Ava to construct any semblance of a shield in her weakened state, and the question Severus posed only served to bring forth the kind of memories that she wasn't ready for him to see. She could only act as a mere onlooker while he tore through her poor excuse of a shield as though it were a sheet of tissue paper. _A moving image of a screaming Sirius Black in his prisoner photo—a baby left at a door step—an older, dark haired man clutching a red headed woman to his chest, openly weeping—the eerie, blue glow from the Room of Prophecies._ At this image, Ava began to fight back. The other memories she might be able to play off, but the prophecy was a whole other story. Severus must've sensed its importance because he chased after that thought. As much as Ava fought to concentrate her mind on something else, _anything_ else, she was powerless as the words reverberated through her mind.

_'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as he equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'_

Slamming back into reality, Ava realized that she had fallen to her knees in her effort to close off her mind. She pushed aside the pain for the moment. "What the _hell_ were you thinking?" she screamed at Severus, who was ashen and trembling. Ava got up from the floor with a huff and caught the wizard the very second his legs began to falter. "Not such as good idea, was it?" she sneered at him.

Once Severus made it to a stool, he gulped and looked to Ava. "I didn't mean—"

"Well, you did," Ava cut him off. Looking to the ceiling and running a hand down her face, Ava breathed deeply, trying to keep her cool. She knew that she was being evasive in answering Severus and badgering him to keep going, and his curiosity got the better of him. _I practically egged him on. That doesn't mean he won't have to work for his forgiveness_, she thought. Making eye contact with Severus once more, she sternly told him, "I had no intention of sharing any of that information with you quite yet." He shot her an apologetic look, which she ignored. "But now you've ruined it. I didn't think we were quite there yet, but fine."

Despite the remorse settling on his face, he asked, "Can I ask you some questions?"

Ava sighed. "Yeah, go right ahead," she replied, gesturing with her hands.

Severus cleared his throat. "So, piecing together what I saw, there's a prophecy about the Dark Lord and it pertains to someone important? Someone close to you?"

A pained expression came over Ava. "Yeah, but not for a few years. We've got time."

"And it's a _real_ prophecy? A recorded by the Ministry, real prophecy?"

Ava nodded.

"So there will be someone who can—who can _defeat_ the Dark Lord?"

She pressed her lips together and nodded. _Not that it'll come to that_, she thought.

"Well, that's rather convenient," he said with a trace of relief. "We can just wait for that person, and he or she will take care of the Dark Lord for us. No need to risk ourselves and play sides," he finished with a small smile.

Ava almost couldn't do it. She didn't want to destroy the image that a teenage Severus Snape had for his future care-free life. However, she knew it would be nothing of the sort if she didn't succeed. Only bitter regret and heartache while serving two masters awaited Severus if she sat back and let the time line take its course. She reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder and tried to put on a brave face. "It isn't that simple, Severus."

He sighed. "Of course it isn't. What else do I need to know?"

She took a deep breath. "You know that the prophecy indicates that the person who defeats the Dark Lord will be only a child, right?" Severus nodded. "Even though that child will be born in a few years, we can't wait that long. If the time line gets to that point, then I've failed." She looked down, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

"Is someone supposed to die?"

She nodded.

"Who?" he asked.

Ava pressed her lips together and shook her head minutely. She couldn't bring herself to say their names. _This is so much worse than mourning characters that I've come to love._

"Who, Ava?" he asked with more urgency in his voice.

She glanced up at him, silent tears running down her face. "Did you get a good look at the man and woman in my memory?"

Severus frowned. "The black haired man, holding the woman? She had red hair, right? And they only looked to be a couple of years older than us, five at most."

Ava nodded once, letting a small cry escape her lips at the thought of Lily and James being gone so early in their lives, just starting their family. And Severus finding Lily in such a state.

Her friend looked contemplative for a moment before the color drained from his face. "Her hair was very similar to the shade of Lily's, Ava."

She looked away from him then.

The sound of his stool scraping against the floor echoed off the stone walls. He gripped her tightly at the shoulders and shook her. "Tell me it wasn't Lily, Ava! Tell me!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice.

For a brief moment, Ava considered lying to him. Saving him the crushing pain that accompanied losing a friend that he had already felt once for the redheaded witch. But he deserved to know the truth. He _needed_ to know the truth if he were to help her. He needed to know what exactly was at stake. She took a shaky breath before saying, "I can't tell you that Severus. It _was_ her. Well, it's _supposed to be_ her. She's the mother of the child in the prophecy."

He let go of her shoulders, mouth dropping open, but hadn't stepped away from her. He was close enough that she could see the tears welling in his eyes. "But you have a plan, right?" he asked stubbornly.

"Yes, absolutely. Nothing terrible will happen if I've got anything to say about it." She gripped his hand tightly. "I promise that I will do everything that I possibly can to keep that future from coming true." He nodded and wiped his eyes, not bothering to hide his tears from Ava. "Hopefully, we'll kill Voldemort before the prophecy is supposed to be spoken, but even then, we can put things in place so that he won't find out about it."

Severus nodded firmly, but his face changed suddenly, seemingly lighter. "I'm not a Death Eater yet, but what if I work my way up in the ranks? I'll be the most loyal follower he's ever seen, and I can ask him to spare Lily," he said, looking hopeful.

Fresh tears sprung to Ava's eyes. _Oh, Severus_. She reached out and gently cupped his cheek. "You actually tried that." His expression was crestfallen as new tears glistened in his eyes. Ava continued, "But he didn't listen. He won't let _anything_ stand in his way of power or immortality." For a moment, she could've sworn that Severus rested his head against her hand, but then he pulled away, transforming his saddened look into one of determination.

"Dumbledore," he said. "We'll go to Dumbledore."

Ava furrowed her brows. As far as she was aware, the Headmaster couldn't protect the Potters either. _What kind of wards or security spells did he even try to use on Godric's Hollow?_

"Surely, he can protect Lily." Seeing Ava's frown deepen, he hastily added, "And Potter. If they're still together at that point."

She cracked a small, watery smile at the idea of her frown being the result of Severus forgetting to initially include his schoolyard nemesis in his plan for protection from the Dark Lord. Severus repeated his idea of speaking to Dumbledore, but Ava pressed her lips together as fresh tears gathered in her eyes and slowly shook her head.

All of the breath in Severus's body seemed to leave him as he fell to his knees. There was a tremble in his voice as he asked in the smallest voice she had ever heard from him, "What are we going to do?"

Unable to leave Severus alone on the ground, Ava slid down to the floor and wrapped her arms around him. He hesitantly returned her embrace, and she could hear him crying softly into her shoulder. Squeezing him in reassurance, she firmly said, "We're going to be brave and do whatever we have to." They held each other for another minute or so before the timer for the potion went off, cutting through the pervasive sadness in the room. No more words were spoken as Severus bottled up the potion and tested it as usual. As he escorted Ava back to her quarters before dinner, she looped her arm through his, wanting to reassure the Slytherin that she was there for him, just as she hoped he would be there for her when the time came.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I honestly can't fully express how excited I get every time I'm sent a notification from someone leaving a comment or kudos. It's amazing :D Thank you all so much!
> 
> Friendly reminder: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 22**

When Severus had deposited Ava at the door to her quarters, she felt relatively calm and collected after their emotional conversation, but once she stepped inside and attempted to complete a couple of assignments before her evening meal, it became more obvious she wasn't as well put together as she had thought. She couldn't focus on finding evidence for her essays, so she tried to clear her thoughts and focus on something more fun: new spells. However, Ava struggled to memorize the incantations and wand work when the images Severus had discovered kept resurfacing in her mind every few minutes. She was unable to stop thinking about the harsh reality of the situation, which was that she was way out of her depth here and she knew it.

With a sigh, the overwhelmed witch closed her textbook and leaned back on the couch, squeezing her eyes shut tightly for a brief moment before she sprang up from her seat. "No!" Ava shouted as she began to pace across the living room. "I refuse to wallow! I did that before and it didn't work, so I'm not doing it again. Nope." Her fists were clenched at her sides as she stomped side to side. "Wallowing will get you nowhere, Ava. Only productive behavior from now on! Keep your chin up! Everyone's counting on you, whether they know it or not." She paused in her pacing and crossed her arms, letting out a frustrated breath out through her nose. She glanced at her watch, seeing that there were only a few more minutes until dinner. "Whatever," she grumbled, glaring at her textbooks and assignments scattered around the couch and coffee table. _I'll just have to work some more tonight after dueling with Severus_, she thought before heading down to the Great Hall.

Just like lunch earlier that day, Avalynn mostly kept to herself and her thoughts during dinner. However, this time it wasn't because her soulmate rocked her world with a mere hug. Her mind and body were wired with energy to do _something_ about the desperate situation the Wizarding World would be in if Voldemort were to continue living and gaining power. Thoughts whirled around her head, considering whether or not she should attempt to go after Horcruxes yet, or that maybe she _should _speak to Remus about the truth so that her magic would be more settled and healthy and she could study faster and harder to master magic. Looking up at the werewolf, who was currently rolling his eyes at James's heated argument with some of the other Gryffindors about the Puddlemere United Quidditch team, Ava took in the happiness shown on her soulmate's face and decided that she still wanted to wait to tell him. She couldn't see him being very pleased about the spell being enacted without his prior approval. Her eyes scanned over his face, admiring the way his sandy hair fell, just barely reaching past his eyebrows. She frowned, realizing that the way his hair was styled was an attempt to cover the tops of the silvery scars that ran from his temple to his chin. Her thoughts instantly jumped to defend her soulmate. _He can't help the scars, and they certainly don't make him any less handsome_. Ava's eyes roved over his face once more and she let out a pleased sigh at just how perfect Remus looked without even trying.

Remus looked in her direction, causing Ava to blush at being caught staring. He quickly flashed her a small smile, giving her the courage to not look away in embarrassment. She gulped and returned his smile, feeling her heart pounding in excitement.

* * *

Remus could feel someone watching him, and he quietly hoped that it would be Ava. He turned to look at her, obviously startling her, having caught her staring at him. He could feel Moony, and himself, if he were honest, react with pleasure at the idea of her being physically attracted to him. _Although, maybe she was staring at my scars. Everyone seems to_, he lamented. Either way, the blush that spread over her cheeks was endearing and he didn't want to make Ava self-conscious so he gave her a smile, hoping she'd talk to him. They hadn't spoken since their…interaction earlier in the day, and he wanted to make it clear that he wasn't running away from her. Moony was adamant about Ava being their mate, and Remus couldn't deny that he had felt some sort of a connection while he held her. Whether that meant that she was his mate or not was another thing entirely. He wanted to spend time getting to know the witch before making any rash decisions, and the last thing he wanted to do was put Ava in a tough position.

She returned his smile and opened her pretty lips to speak, only to slam her mouth shut as someone hugged him from behind.

He quickly used his supernatural sense of smell to determine it was Allison Clover and grimaced internally. _Now's not the time_, he complained to himself. He reached up to pat Allison's arms, hoping to free himself with an acknowledgment of her presence. Hurt was written all over Ava's face, causing him to frown, partly from confusion, but also because his chest had flared in pain at the sight. He glanced up to Allison and tried his best to maintain a friendly tone when he asked, "Hey, what're you doing over here?"

She unwrapped herself from around his shoulders and smiled. "I just wanted to see how your weekend was going so far."

"Oh, nothing out of the usual," he replied before glancing at Ava.

The hurt expression left her face instantly, and she narrowed her eyes and looked to even be clenching her jaw. A quick glance down at her fork revealed that she was indeed outraged if her tight grip and white knuckles were anything to go by. Remus gulped and looked back at her face. Her cheeks were red once more, but he knew it was in anger this time. Anger directed at him. His stomach dropped to the floor and Moony whimpered in the back of his mind. He dropped his gaze, feeling ashamed, but not entirely sure why. He tuned out Allison, who seemed to be talking to Lily anyway. _Why is Ava so upset?_ he asked himself, before coming to the conclusion that it was probably a side effect of being his mate, if that was indeed the source of their connection. _I wonder if her reaction is instinctual, or if it's really her feelings_. He shook his head minutely. _It has to be just because of the pull she feels towards me. She wouldn't be attracted to me on her own. Why would she knowingly choose to be with a werewolf? I can't believe I'm forcing those feelings on her. _He raised his head, intent on sending a silent apology to Ava, only to see her seat vacant. _She left without saying goodbye_. He sighed and looked around the table to see that Sirius had left as well, and James was currently red-faced and glaring with all of his might. Remus sighed again, knowing that James was going to have a go at him later for hurting Ava's feelings. It wasn't like he was purposefully trying to either. _I just want to take things slow and make sure that all avenues have been considered before I trap Ava in a relationship with me_, he thought as he absentmindedly scooted the food on his plate around with his fork.

* * *

Ava was currently storming through the corridors, on her way to the Room of Requirement even though she wasn't supposed to meet Severus there for another twenty minutes. She just couldn't stand the sight of Remus entertaining another romantic interest. As she stomped down the hallway, she mentally cursed that her magic sought out its connection with such a headstrong, idiotic boy. Her fuming glare was slowly replaced with a frown. _That's not exactly fair though. He doesn't know that what he's doing is affecting me so much. But he knows I'm his mate now for crying out loud!_ She could hear someone running behind her and thought, _If that's Remus, I swear to God I'll use the Bat Bogey Hex and leave him like that forever._

"Ava! Wait up!" the person following her yelled. Ava slowed down, recognizing the voice. Once he caught up, Sirius said, "I'm sorry about Remus. James keeps trying to talk some sense into him, but I know Moony can be pretty stubborn once he's set his mind to something."

Ava rolled her eyes and kept walking. "I suppose that's something we have in common then."

Sirius walked alongside her and flashed a quick smile as he ran his hand through his black hair. "Yeah, you can both be fairly frightening when you really get going too."

Ava paused before a staircase and raised a brow at the Animagus. "I wouldn't 'get going' so much if _some_ people weren't such dunderheads." Not waiting for a response, she headed up the stairs.

He groaned. "Merlin, Ava. Now you even _sound_ like Snape." He leapt up the stairs and asked, "Where are you off to anyway?"

"I'm dueling with Severus in a little while."

"Can I come?" he asked, with hope lacing his tone.

Ava turned her narrowed eyes onto him. "Why?"

Sirius frowned as they continued up yet another staircase. "What do you mean 'why'? I want to help you. Isn't that why you're spending all that time with Snape?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. We're also friends. But you're willingly asking to spend time with Severus?"

He scoffed. "Well, I dunno about that. I want to spend time with you and I feel like we haven't dueled in forever, and Snape will just happen to be in the same place."

Pausing for a rest at the top of the stairs, Ava looked to Sirius, scanning his face for any underlying motive. His expression was open and he gave her a small smile before asking, "So, can I come?"

He looked at her with his charming smile and wide, puppy dog eyes, and Ava couldn't resist. She rolled her eyes and threw her arms in the air. "Fine. But no screwing around. No pranks, no bullying, no name calling, nothing." She poked him hard in the chest. "Got it?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," he retorted with a mock salute.

As Ava turned to walk down the corridor, she told him, "I mean it, Sirius. Severus and I are friends, and you can't endanger that. I need him just like I need you and James."

He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to stop walking and face him. His joking smile was replaced with furrowed brows and a thoughtful look. "Hey, I know that. You've made it pretty clear where Snape stands with you, and I won't do anything to intentionally jeopardize that. I've been better lately, haven't I?"

Ava sighed. "I'm sorry, you're right. You have been more pleasant around him. Just make sure you keep it up." She resumed walking down the hallway, towards the Room of Requirement.

"I'll remain civil, just as long as he does," Sirius replied, walking to catch up with her.

"I wouldn't be as concerned with my temperament as much as your own, Black," a voice said from the other end of the corridor that was shrouded in darkness.

"Severus!" Ava said with a tentative smile, quickly side-eyeing her fellow Gryffindor, silently urging him to behave. "So, Sirius here caught up with me after dinner and—"

The Slytherin stepped out from the shadows and raised his hand. "It's fine, Ava. He'll just need to ensure that he doesn't deviate from our dueling rules and we won't have any issues. Like hexing people when their back is turned," he said while sneering towards Sirius without making eye contact.

Sirius scoffed. "I've got it, alright? Ava and I have dueled before."

Severus turned to him and smirked. "Ah, yes. That was the night he received the black eye from Lupin, correct?" he asked, looking back at Ava now.

"Play nicely, boys," Ava scolded before pacing in front of the wall three times before a large, wooden door appeared. She quickly stepped through it, beckoning the two wizards to follow her.

In order to prevent any truly volatile duels from happening, Ava instructed Sirius and Severus to alternate practicing with her. As the other one was waiting, he was to watch Ava and give her some pointers on what she needed to improve upon. There were a couple times when Sirius nearly lost his temper because of the way that Severus spoke to Ava, but she reassured the Gryffindor that his words weren't coming from a place of malice and to carry on with their duel. Of course, Sirius would grumble under his breath, but thankfully, Severus ignored him. They only paused for breaks when Ava needed a rest, and she could feel herself about to call for another one. She leapt through the air and simultaneously cast a shield, trying to dodge a hex thrown her way by Severus. Just a few minutes before, she had agreed for him to increase the intensity of his dueling against her since she had been improving steadily. But this was different. While Ava had every faith that Severus could heal her cuts and scrapes, the glowing orange and purple spells that whizzed by her were still fear inducing. Seeing the way that the spells would rip apart the target dummies they landed on and how they could set fire to the places where they met the wall didn't do much to settle her nerves. He gave her no rest as he danced around the mat, deflecting her spells with ease and firing off more complex ones than she had experienced thus far. For every _Protego_ she cast, Ava could feel the shield vibrating more each time, signaling that it was ready to fall under the pressure of Severus's spells. She quickly scampered behind one of the target dummies for shelter and tried to catch her breath.

"C'mon, Ava. You've got to take a stand some time," he bellowed across the room.

"Oi, Snape. Take it easy on her," Sirius shouted as he watched Ava ducking and running about.

Without taking his eyes off of Ava, Severus hissed, "You think Death Eaters or the Dark Lord would take it easy on her?"

Sirius scoffed. "Well, you would know wouldn't you?"

Severus glared at the Animagus. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I would, Black. You don't even know the half of it. Ava needs me to be hard on her because her mission is going to be quite possibly the most difficult anyone has ever set out to accomplish."

Sirius frowned. "Mission? What mission?"

From behind her hiding place, Ava grimaced, just now realizing the imbalance of knowledge between her two friends. _Shut up, Severus! He doesn't need to know about anything else yet._ She peeked out from the side of the dummy, hoping to distract her dueling partner. Her movement caught Severus's attention, and before she could even raise her wand, he sent a Slicing Hex right for her. With a yelp, she rolled away from the dummy just in time to see its legs cut through to where she imagined bone would be. She gulped and turned her attention back to the boys. Severus was smirking. _Probably about to reveal that he knows something Sirius doesn't_, Ava thought right before firing a Slicing Hex back in his direction.

Severus quickly shielded against the spell and looked to her. "Oh, have you finally come out to play?" he taunted, letting his wand hang loose by his side.

Ava let out a frustrated growl. "Don't gloat, Severus. It's unbecoming."

He merely smirked in return.

Sirius's narrowed eyes flickered back and forth between the pair. "What's this mission he mentioned, Ava?"

Ava didn't look away from her opponent. "Nothing to worry about, Sirius," she called out. "Just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?" she whisper shouted at Severus before noticing his tell. He extended his index finger down his wand, to grip it better when casting.

"I can still hear you!" Sirius yelled from the sideline.

"Figures," she grumbled as she sprung into action. Ava launched herself to the side, with the _Confringo_ Severus had sent her way nearly singeing her hair, adding fuel to her rage. Hoping he wouldn't see it coming, and needing to vent some of her anger with him, Ava sprinted towards the Slytherin, instead of away. She focused on only shielding while she gained ground, deflecting the rapid fire spells that Severus was trying to use as a deterrent. Ava was only a few feet away from him when she felt herself freeze in place and her wand slip out of her hand. _Damn it!_ she thought, bemoaning over the fact that she had gotten so close to punching that smug look off his face but wasn't able to follow through.

Catching his breath, Severus wasn't bothering to look at Ava until Sirius spoke up. "She looks livid, Snape. Might want to let her go."

Her partner looked up and grimaced before releasing her from the spell. "Thank you," she grounded out while stomping over to him to snatch her wand out of his hold.

"You're welcome, Ava," Severus said without any humor lacing his tone. "You know I need to continue challenging you."

Ava sighed and nodded, silently agreeing with him. Still panting, she walked over to a table with chairs, complete with water glasses for each of them. Ava reached out for a glass and gulped down the entire thing before taking her seat. The boys joined her, sitting across from each other, placing Ava in the middle. _At least they aren't at each other's throats_, she thought. "Thank you," she murmured before taking a few sips from her water glass that was now refilled. Severus repeated her thanks before consuming his own water, drawing a curious look from Sirius. "Hogwarts is sentient, Padfoot," she explained with a small smile on her face. "Where do you think the water came from?"

He looked at Ava with a blank face momentarily before shaking his head. "Of course." He scooted his chair closer to her and spoke in a low voice, "So, what's this mission all about, huh?" She froze in her seat and flicked her eyes to Severus, who merely shrugged. At her hesitation, Sirius said, "C'mon, Ava. We talked about this before. You need to let us help you." Anger flashed on his face. "Clearly, Snape knows what's going on."

Ava cleared her throat. "That wasn't intentional, Sirius."

"So? What difference does that make?" he asked heatedly, his hand on the table forming into a fist.

She sighed. "Because I'm not ready to tell you yet." _Or maybe ever_, she thought, realizing how difficult it would be to tell him about the prophecy condemning two of his closest friends and the fact that they're all to be betrayed by Peter. Ava mentally scoffed. _He probably wouldn't even believe me about Peter. No, best to leave that alone._

Sirius's face reddened. "But this git gets to know?"

Ava looked to Severus, who was seemingly preoccupied with inspecting his water glass. She turned her gaze back to Sirius. "Look, there's some information that I'd rather keep to myself for now. Besides, you know my overall goal is to get rid of Voldemort," she said with a shrug.

He pounded his fist on the table, causing Ava to jump in her seat. "Damn it! I know that, but why keep the details to yourself and _him_?" he shouted, gesturing towards Severus. "I can't believe you're choosing to trust Snape over myself and James!" he yelled, standing, flinging the chair out of his way to take a couple steps back from the table.

_Ouch, Sirius_, she thought with a deep frown and tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I trust all of you the same amount. It's just that he stumbled upon it by accident, so I had to explain myself."

"And how exactly did that happen?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Ava glanced at Severus who silently stared back. She closed her eyes and sighed before looking to the Animagus. "Remember that charmed notebook I asked you to help with?" Sirius nodded. "Well, I've given Severus and Professor McGonagall the passwords to it, and I had forgotten about a particular section of the future I had written that Severus accidentally read. So, it's my fault, but that doesn't mean that I want to burden you with the same information." Guilt pooled in her stomach like lead. She hated how easily lying came to her now that every day she was living a lie. Each time she progressed to the next year's class, it was only a matter of time before her classmates would approach her slowly and offer their condolences for her parents' deaths. But that was her playing a part for the masses, not for her friends and the people who were trying to help her. She was afraid that she couldn't reveal Severus's Occlumency skills to Sirius without him once again questioning whether the Slytherin was trustworthy. As a way to assuage her guilt and end his relentless pestering, she said softly, "I suppose I could tell you the details that Severus knows."

Sirius seemed to deflate, his anger slowly leaking out. "Yes, you could."

For the first time since they sat down, Severus spoke, "It's not information you should demand lightly, Black."

Sirius sneered at him. "I'd like to decide that for myself, Snape." He turned to Ava. "So?"

Ava pressed her lips together in a thin line. _He won't like this_. "I need you to add a clause to your Wizard's Oath."

He huffed. "Fine. What is it?" he asked while drawing his wand.

"You can't talk to James about what I'm going to tell you," she said firmly.

His mouth dropped open, "Are you serious?"

Ava gave him a weak smile. "No, you are."

Sirius frowned. "Ha, ha. But you're not joking?"

Ava groaned. "No, Sirius. I am not _joking_ because this is very sensitive information and it personally affects you. I can't have you blabbering to James and causing hysteria. If you can't agree to not speak to James about this, then you don't get to know." She made sure to maintain eye contact while she finished. "I don't care if you even stop speaking to me. I won't tell you a single thing. This is too important to fuck up."

He looked thoughtful for a few moments before nodding. He raised his wand and said, "I, Sirius Orion Black, do swear on my magic that I will not discuss—"

"Or even hint!" Ava added quickly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and began again, "I, Sirius Orion Black, do swear on my magic that I will not discuss, _or even hint_, to James Potter any of the details that I learn here tonight." His wand lit up with a brief, golden hue to show the Oath was formed. He looked up to Ava expectantly.

"You may want to sit for this," she said. Rolling his eyes, he pulled the chair back over to the table and took a seat. Turning to Severus, she added, "You can leave if you want. You don't need to be here if you'd rather go."

His dark eyes flickered to Sirius and back to her. "I think I'll stay."

Ava let out a relieved breath she didn't know she was holding. She gave Severus a look of gratitude and reached out to squeeze his hand, which was returned with the corner of his mouth twitching. Ava drew her attention back to her fellow Gryffindor. He was watching her interaction with Severus closely, but surprisingly, she didn't see any anger or suspicion, just curiosity. "So," she said, delaying the inevitable.

Severus cleared his throat, urging her on.

"Right. In a few _years_, a prophecy will come to light that involves Voldemort and a child. My goal is to defeat Voldemort before then."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "And?"

She began to wring her hands together in her lap. "And…if I fail to get rid of Voldemort before then, we need to do everything we possibly can to keep him from finding out about the prophecy."

"Because?" Sirius asked, drawing out the word.

"Because the prophecy is about people we know. People who will get hurt if we don't prevent Voldemort from taking action." Ava sighed and placed her fidgety hands on the table. "If he hears the prophecy, he's going to act on it, and that's the last thing we want to happen."

Thankfully, Sirius appeared to be taking the situation without his usual joking nature. He was frowning when he asked, "Okay, so we have a few years to figure out how to defeat Voldemort, right?"

Ava nodded vigorously. "I already know how to. That won't be a problem. Well, it'll only be a problem if we can't finish before Halloween of 1981."

Severus perked up at the new piece of information. "We have essentially four years?"

She nodded again. "Yes, but we should work quickly to prevent as much collateral damage as possible." Sirius flashed her a look of confusion, prompting her to add, "Voldemort isn't going to only target the people referred to in the prophecy. I want to save as many people as I can." Ava quickly thought of Regulus, as well as Fabian and Gideon Prewett and others, hoping that she'd be able to stop Voldemort's reign of terror before it really began.

Sirius nodded solemnly. "Okay, so who's the prophecy about? You said a kid, right?"

Both Ava and Severus tensed. Ava reached out to grip Sirius's hand. "Keep in mind that we aren't going to let this happen, alright?"

He chuckled lightly. "C'mon, Ava. You're starting to make me worry. Who is it that we've got to keep an eye on?"

She took a deep breath. "The prophecy is about a child born to people who defy him. Him being Voldemort." Sirius nodded. "If the events occur as I know them, then he'll be targeting Lily and James."

He seemed to stop breathing as color drained from his face. Letting the information sink in, Ava stayed quiet, only glancing away from Sirius to see how Severus was holding up. The Slytherin's face was stoic as ever, so she turned back to Sirius. "No," he whispered. "He's going to go after James and Lily? And their kid? They're going to have a kid?" A defiant look overcame his face. "Maybe the prophecy isn't the same or doesn't happen the same way here." She opened her mouth but hesitated. "You don't know, do you?" He sounded almost accusatory.

Ava was taken aback, but she supposed that she should've been prepared for anger and denial. "Well, everything's been pretty much the same so far. I don't think their lives are a risk I'm willing to take though."

His brow furrowed. "I agree." A few moments later, he shook his head and said, "It'll be fine." He looked between Ava and Severus. "Yeah, it'll be just fine. _They'll_ be fine. I've worked it out, see? We'll go to Dumbledore. He's the most powerful light wizard there is, right? And he leads the Order. I'm sure he'll know what to do." He grinned at Ava. "I bet that didn't happen in the time line you know all about, huh?" he asked, rather proud of his idea.

She broke his stare and looked at the table. _How much do I tell him?_

"Black, what Ava is struggling to tell you is that that is precisely what happened," Severus said in probably the most neutral tone he could manage when addressing Sirius.

"What does he mean, Ava?" When she didn't look up, he repeated himself, only louder.

"You guys did go to Dumbledore and the Order for protection, but it didn't work. James and Lily still—" she muttered, still looking down, trying to hide the tears gathering in her eyes. _Goddamn it_, she thought. _I still can't say it, even after talking about it with Severus. Whatever. Focus on Sirius._ Ava shook her head to dispel those thoughts.

"Well, they probably did something wrong. We'll do it right this time," Sirius said firmly.

She looked up at him. Seeing her watery eyes must've affected him because his body deflated, seemingly accepting defeat. She shook her head. "No. We aren't even going to let it get that far, Sirius. The prophecy won't be told because there won't be a Dark Lord for it to be made about." He reached out to grasp her hand and gave it a thankful squeeze. She gulped and glanced between the two wizards before quietly saying, "And if, for some reason, I haven't succeeded by then, we'll find another way to protect Lily, James, and their baby."

A smile graced Sirius's lips. "Prongs is going to be a dad."

Ava let out a breath and smiled back. "Yeah, he is." _That wasn't as heartbreaking this time_, she thought, considering how she and Severus ended up on the castle floor, hugging each other desperately. Her eyes roved over Sirius's face. _Maybe he's not really processing this_. She turned to Severus, and opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted by Sirius.

"We'll at least need to do a Secret Keeper for wherever Prongs and Lily end up staying after graduation. That'll give them more protection than just wards."

Ava froze in her seat, wide eyes still focused on Severus. His narrowed in return. Giving him the minute shake of her head, she hoped that the Slytherin wouldn't comment on her reaction in front of Sirius. That was one piece of information she hoped to never reveal. To anyone. Collecting herself, Ava turned back to Sirius and patted his hand. "Good thinking," she told him, earning a proud smile from the Animagus.

They sat in a contemplative silence for a few minutes before Ava cleared her throat and announced that she'd like to return to her quarters. Without hesitation, Sirius offered to escort her, but she waved him off, stating that he was practically just down the hall from the Gryffindor common room already. "Severus can take me just fine. I'm on the way down to the dungeons anyhow."

Thankfully, Sirius merely shrugged and said his goodbyes outside the Room. Ava immediately looped her arm through Severus's and proceeded to talk his ear off the entire way to her quarters. At the portrait guarding the door, Severus quietly said, "I'll accept your deflections for now, Ava, but I expect a full explanation in the future about the issue with a Secret Keeper."

Ava gulped, but nodded. "I appreciate your patience, Severus." Without warning, she quickly wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him in thanks. A smile broke out on her face as she felt him returning her hug. She pulled back and began to say bye, but he held out a small, glass vial.

"It's the newest pain potion we worked on. Take it tomorrow morning and see how you feel throughout the day. If it proves effective, I'll bottle up the rest of the brew for you."

She took the potion from him and gave him a small smile. "Goodnight," she said before stepping into her quarters. Letting out a tired breath, her eyes scanned over the homework she'd left spread out on the coffee table and couch. _Well, back to work_, she thought before she was startled by a throat clearing. Glancing up quickly, she noticed McGonagall standing at the entrance to her bedroom.

"Oh, hi. I'm back. I had a great practice with Severus, and Sirius, actually. They were relatively civil too, can you imagine?" she told her aunt with a smile. However, the professor didn't respond and seemed a little distracted as she walked into the living room.

"Might I take a look at that notebook of yours now, Ava? I believe that I've finally found my courage," Aunt Minerva said, offering her niece a small smile.

Ava beamed in return. "Of course you can." As she located the charmed parchment, she felt lighter and more hopeful at just the thought of an actual adult knowing what was to come. Not to mention the support that McGonagall could offer Ava, since she was the young witch's best chance of getting involved with the Order.

* * *

Breakfast the next day was another unpleasant experience for Avalynn. The group of Gryffindors were nearly finished with their meal when Allison approached Remus. _God, I hope she doesn't make a habit out of this._

"Hey, Remus, would you want to study together today?" she asked, practically bouncing on her toes.

The werewolf hesitated and quickly glanced to Ava then Lily. "Well, um, I was going to study with Lily actually."

Allison's face dropped for a moment before a seemingly forced smile appeared. "Well, she could just join us, I suppose."

Ava leaned forward slightly to see Lily's reaction on the other side of James. The redhead's lips were pressed together in a thin line and Ava knew that to mean that she was attempting to reign in her patience. "No, it's fine. You two go on ahead. I was thinking of asking Ava to study with me anyhow."

Ava's brows rose in surprise and she managed to school her face before Remus turned to her. "Yeah?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Yep," she replied while nodding vehemently. While she felt outraged at the idea of Remus studying with the other girl, she didn't want to let Lily down if she was trying to make a point to the werewolf. Ava also felt secretly pleased when Remus appeared to be disappointed that she didn't put up that much of a fight. _Well, he needs to know that my world doesn't revolve around him_, she thought while tilting her nose up in the air as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Remus gulped and attempted a smile before looking back at Allison. "Okay, then. I guess we'll be studying together," he said, causing the Hufflepuff to squeal with excitement.

Ava had to keep herself from laughing at Remus's resulting flinch. No doubt the girl's shrill noise was grating on his werewolf hearing. _He's just doing it to himself_, she thought as she watched her soulmate stand to escort another girl to the library for a study date. She let out a dejected sigh and looked down to her plate.

"Ready, Ava?"

She peeked up to see Lily standing with her schoolbag slung over her shoulder. The redhead smiled. "We're studying together, remember? And don't worry, we don't have to go to the library."

Ava flashed her a small smile and gathered up her bag as well, giving her goodbyes to everyone as she stood.

James put his hand over his heart and pretended to sniffle. "Isn't new friendship blossoming a beautiful thing, Padfoot?"

Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. "It is indeed, Prongs." He grinned at the girls before launching into a discussion with James about the drills for Quidditch practice.

Lily and Ava looked at each other and rolled their eyes at the boys' antics before laughing. As they left the Great Hall, their giggles died down. Ava let out a breath and said, "Man, I hope they never change."

Lily chuckled. "They haven't in seven years, I doubt they ever will."

Ava looked thoughtful before asking, "So, how did you end up with James?"

"Oh, boy. Well, he proposed in second year." Both of them laughed. "Suffice it to say that I did _not_ accept, but he didn't let that stop him." Lily lead her up the staircase.

"Yeah?"

"No way. That kid has enough ego for the two of us. But he's learned to tame it over the years. His attempts to 'woo' me used to be so outlandish that I never took him seriously." She smirked at Ava. "I _might_ have mentioned off-hand to Remus last year that James _might just_ stand a chance with me if he would tone it down a bit."

Ava shook her head. It wasn't very difficult to imagine James acting over the top for the girl he wanted to date. A frown formed on her face. _Why doesn't Remus act like that with me?_

"Hey," Lily said, placing a comforting hand on Ava's shoulder. "None of that now. Remus will find his way to you soon enough."

Her mouth opened. "What are you, a mind reader?"

Lily laughed lightly. "No, but who else would cause that mopey face of despair?"

Ava pouted. "Hey."

The redhead waved her off. "I'm not judging, don't worry." She wrapped her arm around Ava's shoulder. "And don't you worry about your man. He'll come around." She directed Ava towards a tapestry and pulled back the fabric to reveal a decently sized reading nook. There were a couple small, round tables with only a handful of large leather chairs. The one window let in just the right amount of sunlight for reading.

"This is perfect," she told Lily. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. So, how is it going with you and Remus?"

As the pair sat down and dug through their bags for supplies, Ava replied, "Well, I guess he's more open to being with me romantically."

"How do you know?" Lily questioned.

Ava frowned, pondering how to phrase their interaction. "Well, he was a gentleman when I ran into him and he kept me from falling."

Lily gasped and leaned forward on her elbows with bright eyes. "Did he pull you into his chest?" She sighed when Ava nodded. "So cliche, but so romantic, right?"

Ava grinned and nodded as she organized her parchments and ink pot. "Yeah, and I swear he held me longer than he needed to." Lily nodded, indicating that she was still listening. "I felt so comfortable in his arms. Safe. Like I was home, like I belonged there," Ava continued, her eyes beginning to glaze over. "I know he feels it too. He has to. He just won't admit it, I guess."

The other witch looked contemplative. "Have you ever had these kinds of feelings for anyone else?"

She shook her head absentmindedly.

Lily's brows furrowed. "And you said that it feels like your magic is reaching out to him?"

Still lost in her thoughts of Remus, Ava nodded once more.

"Hmmm. Well, we should get moving on our homework."

Ava came back into herself and blinked rapidly. "Yeah, right. Okay."

The girls got to work and continued in a companionable silence for some time. Movement caught Lily's attention, and she glanced up to see Ava pressing her hand to her own forehead. "Are you feeling alright?"

Ava frowned. "I think so. I feel kind of achy, like I've got a fever or something, so I was just checking to see if I felt warm."

"Let me?" Lily offered. Ava nodded, so she reached out and pressed the back of her hand to the girl's forehead. "You feel kind of warm, but not too bad."

As Lily sat back in her seat, Ava started laughing. At the redhead's curious look, she explained, "We both didn't even think to use magic. Wizards must think that Muggles are crazy for simply using their hands to see if someone's got a fever."

Lily laughed as well. "Yeah, I know you're new to magic, but I've been a part of the Wizarding World for seven years now and there are still some things that are just better the Muggle way."

They both returned to their studies and it was only a little while later that Lily's attention was once again drawn by Ava. This time by a low groan of pain. She quickly looked to Ava to see her rubbing her temples in small circles with her eyes squeezed shut. Lily sat up and closed her textbook. "What's wrong?" she demanded.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. I've just got a headache. It's been growing worse since earlier today," Ava explained.

Lily frowned in concern and reached for the girl's forehead. "Oh, my goodness. You're burning up now." Ava pulled away from her and dropped her head to the table with a sigh. "I think I should take you to the Hospital Wing."

Ava lifted her head slowly to say, "Nah, I'm sure it'll go away."

The redhead narrowed her eyes. "Are you _sure_? Madame Pomfrey could at least check you over and maybe give you something to keep it from getting worse."

Ava shrugged. She just assumed it had something to do with the soulmate spell. Granted, these were different symptoms than what she normally experienced, but she didn't want to put up a fuss if it would just disappear on its own. "Yeah, I'm sure." Lily didn't look like she believed Ava, so she added, "I promise." The other witch merely crossed her arms, causing Ava to sit up straighter in her seat and say, "Look, if its worse by tomorrow, I'll go see Madame Pomfrey, okay?"

Lily nodded. "I'm going to hold you to that," she said while pointing her finger at Ava menacingly.

She smiled at the girl, thankful that she had somehow made friends with Lily Evans. "I've got just a couple more paragraphs that I want to write, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I'm nearly done too. If I finish before you, do you want me to look over your essays?"

Ava beamed. "Yes, please."

Lily laughed and resumed working. Sure enough, she was able to read through Ava's Charms essay and gave her some feedback while the two ate lunch in their little alcove, courtesy of Flopsy. After their meal, they chatted about the Muggle World and cultural differences that Lily had learned to adjust to in the Wizarding World. Soon enough, it was late into the afternoon and the girls parted ways.

* * *

Later that night, Lily was in Gryffindor Tower, cuddling with James in front of the fire. At her questioning to the whereabouts of his fellow Marauders, James explained that Sirius and Peter were on a "secret mission", causing Lily to roll her eyes in exasperation. She had told James early on in their relationship that she wanted nothing to do with their nonsense and never wanted to know any details. However, when he mentioned that Remus wasn't feeling well and was trying to sleep it off in their dorm, she sat up straight.

Frowning, she said, "Ava didn't feel well earlier either. I hope there isn't a stomach bug or something going around."

James laughed. "No, that's not it, Lily flower." He lowered his voice. "That time of month is just creeping up on Moony, so whatever's up with Ava, it isn't the same." He grinned. "I'll protect you from whatever stomach insects you're worried about though," he added, lightly tickling Lily.

She rolled her eyes and smacked James playfully on the arm to cease his assault, but let the subject drop.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm going to try out writing shorter chapters, but publishing twice a week. As usual, let me know what you think! :)
> 
> Once again, thank you very much for all of the kudos and comments!!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

** Chapter 23 **

The next morning Ava didn't feel any better. If anything, she felt worse. Even though the fever hadn't gone away and her bones felt as though they were about to snap every time she moved, she was avoiding the Hospital Wing like the plague. Ava couldn't stand the thought of missing any classes, feeling the added pressure of succeeding now that Severus, Sirius, and Aunt Minerva knew more of the truth. Currently, she was sitting at the Gryffindor table, attempting to eat her breakfast without hinting to Lily that she still felt unwell. However, that was proving to be difficult considering that Ava's fever decided to start giving her chills every now and then, causing her whole body to tremble and her teeth to chatter. The witch kept her eyes downcast, having a staring contest with her plate to the outside observer. _I will NOT look at him_, she commanded herself. Ava could feel her magic pushing the compulsion to look at Remus upon her, but she refused, not wanting to bend to the whim of her magic. Thinking over her symptoms, Ava considered that she could just be plain old sick, or it could be a side effect of the latest potion Severus created for her. _I did take another dose this morning_, she thought as a shiver wracked her body.

"Cold?" Sirius asked quietly, wrapping an arm around her. He rubbed her hand up and down the outside of her arm in an effort to warm her up.

With her mind too fuzzy from the fever, Ava instinctively leaned into Sirius's side, seeking more warmth. She relaxed into her friend only for a moment before hearing a growl, causing her to sigh and slowly withdraw herself from the Animagus's heat.

"Ava?" Lily asked in a drawn out manner.

"Yes, Lily?" she asked in a similar tone. Ava looked to the redhead who had her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She waved Lily off. "I'm fine," she said in a tone that she hoped brokered no argument.

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but James whispered something to her, causing the redhead to merely sigh and resume her conversation with Alice and Mary.

Thankful that Lily dropped the subject, Ava returned to her meal. Still ruminating over the werewolf's date with Allison Clover, Ava steeled her resolve and directed her gaze towards her breakfast plate rather than Remus, regardless of how much her magic kept sending a slight pain pulsing throughout her body. She mentally rolled her eyes. _You'll have to try harder than that_, she thought, considering how much pain she had already endured from her magic. Ava frowned at her plate, recalling the fact that she told her aunt, Mrs. Potter, and Madame Pomfrey that she would try to be Remus's friend in an effort to alleviate the consequences her magic decided to dish out. _I feel like shit. Remus going on a date is bullshit. And this whole situation is a clusterfuck. I'll be his friend when I'm feeling up for the challenge_. Her frown deepened when she finished her last few bites of her usual morning meal—scrambled eggs, sausage, and a piece of toast. _I'm starving_, she thought before shrugging to herself, assuming that her hunger may just be another side effect of the newer pain potion. Not wasting another moment, Ava loaded up her plate with another helping of eggs and sausage links.

Mercifully, James and Sirius seemed to pick up on the fact that she wasn't in the mood to be bothered, so they accepted her early departure from the table without any resistance. In a feverish fog, she made her way down to the dungeons for her second year Potions class, hoping that they didn't have to do much thinking yet. Halfway through class, her drowsiness seemed to disappear and was replaced with restlessness. Her legs were bouncing with excess energy and she shot up from her worktable when Professor Slughorn instructed them to begin brewing. She struggled to calm her nerves when it came time for preparing the ingredients, but thankfully, Ava's partner was a sweet Hufflepuff that offered to do all of the cutting when she noticed Ava's shaky hands. She kindly suggested that Ava could take care of the insects that needed to be ground up using the pestle and mortar. Once Ava finished, she could feel her fingers itching to move and do something else, but she kept getting in her partner's way. Realizing she was doing more harm than good, Ava sat down and rewrote her first-year Potions notes in a more concise manner just to keep her hands and mind busy. _It's like I'm going stir-crazy_, she thought.

Just when Ava felt like she was going to burst from containing her restless energy, class ended and she made her way towards second year Transfiguration. While passing Severus in the corridor, he gently pulled her aside, reminding her about their study group that afternoon with Benedict and the other first-year Slytherins she invited along. Grinning, Ava nodded enthusiastically and could barely keep herself from bouncing on her toes. Severus eyed her warily, but stalked off without a comment. That day, Professor McGonagall had the class practice turning teacups into tortoises, and after a while, Ava could feel her body draining of its previous energy. She slowly became more lethargic, with the feverish feelings all returning. She shook off her school robes and rolled up the sleeves of her button-down shirt, trying to cool herself off. Regardless, she occasionally had to wipe sweat from her brow, and she could see her aunt eyeing her with concern.

Ava continued practicing the spell, attempting to make the tortoise more detailed each time, like the professor had suggested. Right now, she was focusing on the pattern of the shell, but the spell didn't seem to be working. _What the hell? I literally just did this_. She frowned and lifted her wand to inspect it, as though that would provide her with answers. Shaking her head at herself, Ava lowered her wand and took a deep breath. However, pronouncing the spell correctly and performing the wand work precisely didn't result in her teacup turning into a tortoise. No, instead, the teacup flipped through the air and smashed against the table, startling the entire class. Ava could feel her cheeks reddening in embarrassment as everyone, including her aunt, turned to look at her in surprise and confusion. _What. The. Fuck._ She offered them a sheepish smile as she gathered the broken ceramic pieces of the teacup, trying to hide her panic. _What is happening to me? Maybe this is it. Like Madame Pomfrey said, my magic is struggling. Shit. It's like that Potter guy wrote in his diary. Maybe my magical core is starting to go out._ Ava was drawn from her thoughts by the clearing of a throat. She glanced up to see Professor McGonagall standing in front of her.

"May I?" the older witch offered, lifting her wand and eyeing the destroyed teacup.

Ava nodded. While she realized that her aunt was assisting with only a third-year Charm, Ava also realized that she couldn't exactly trust her magic at the moment.

"_Reparo_," McGonagall said firmly, bringing together the pieces of the teacup to reform into its original form.

"Thank you," Ava said in a small voice.

"Perhaps you should rest and review your notes for the remainder of class," the professor suggested, looking worried.

Ava pressed her lips together in a thin line. Part of her agreed, thinking that she should allow her magic a reprieve, but she couldn't just bury her head in the sand and hope that it was just a one time occurrence. "I'm going to try one more time," she said.

McGonagall nodded silently and walked away to attend to other students.

Ava took several slow, deep breaths, mentally running herself through the wand movement and enunciation of the spell. Picturing the tortoise in her mind, Ava performed the spell, and her teacup slowly reshaped itself in a small tortoise. A wide grin broke out on her face, but fell when she noticed the little creature quivering. Suddenly, it was a teacup again. With wide eyes, Ava collapsed in her chair. She placed her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. _Oh God. My magic's failing. It's not stable, at all. I need to take a better look at that Potter diary and see if I can figure out a time line for when his magic started to really become unstable. I don't want to hurt anyone. Maybe I should talk with Remus._ She could feel tears pricking at her eyes and immediately pressed the palms of her hands up against them. _I refuse to cry in front of a bunch of twelve-year-olds._ Thankfully, class ended only a minute later and Ava was able to regain her composure. She made sure to take longer packing up her schoolbag so she could be alone with Professor McGonagall.

Approaching the teacher's desk, she huffed and said, "Well, I think my magic is becoming unstable."

McGonagall's eyes widened slightly, but then her expression relaxed. "It might not be that, dear child. You could be merely exhausting yourself. You are learning at quite the accelerated rate. That's likely what the cause is, Ava. Don't fret. Just make sure to rest plenty and only cast magic in class for now."

Ava eyed the older witch. _Is she serious?_ "Okay," she said quietly before turning to leave the classroom. _I suppose she could be right, but still. It could be that my magical core is becoming more unstable as well_. Lost in her worrisome thoughts, Ava made her way to the Great Hall for lunch.

As soon as she was within shouting distance of her soulmate, Ava could feel her magic recreating the compulsion to interact with Remus, even just to look at him. It was as though the magic was swirling inside her body, nudging her repeatedly, pestering her to take notice of him. She sat down, trying to maintain her resolve as she gathered food onto her plate. However, her magic had other ideas. It battered against her ribs in protest, causing her to gasp in pain. She quickly brought her hand to her mouth, hoping to muffle the sound. Ava slowly looked up to her table-mates, and judging by the concerned looks on James's and Sirius's faces, she hadn't been quiet enough. Releasing a heavy sigh, she crept one hand towards Sirius and gripped his robes tightly when her fingers came into contact with it. With reluctance, she raised her head to look at Remus. Taking in his unusually pale complexion and dark circles under his eyes caused Ava to frown in concern. After roving over his face, her eyes traveled down to his plate, which was piled high with a mountain of food. Over the next few minutes, Ava decided to observe the werewolf subtly since Sirius was now grasping her hand in an effort to keep her grounded. Remus cringed, as if in pain, every time someone shouted, and he grimaced whenever vegetables of any kind are mentioned or passed in front of him. She could've sworn that he drooled as he placed two large pieces of a thick chocolate cake onto his plate.

Ava leaned forward slightly and asked, "Remus, are you feeling okay?"

He glanced up at her with a startled look before his eyes flashed amber. He shook his head quickly and flashed her a smile before scarfing down the cake.

_Well, then_, she thought with a small smile. _That chocolate cake must be really good for him to practically ignore me._ She was thinking about how Remus's affinity for chocolate was ironic because dogs are allergic to chocolate, which made her realize—_the full moon_. She could've smacked herself. _Of course, that's why he's looking kinda sick and eating a ridiculous amount of food._ Ava shook her head at herself and waved James off when he looked at her for an explanation. _Stupid, Ava. C'mon_. A look of sadness overcame her face at the thought of Remus enduring the transformation every month. It was awful enough watching him return to his human form, and she couldn't imagine it would be any easier turning into a werewolf.

Noticing her plate was empty and her stomach demanded more food, Ava began eyeing the different dishes on the table, trying to decide what to eat next. James offered her the bowl of green beans, knowing that they were one of her favorite vegetables. Ava took the bowl from him, but wrinkled her nose in disgust once they were close enough to smell. "These smell absolutely horrid," she exclaimed, pushing the dish back towards James. "They must've gone bad or something."

James raised his brows in surprise but shrugged, grabbing a hold of the dish. "They tasted fine to me."

Ava turned to her other side, checking to see what her options were on Sirius's side of the table. Her vision seemed to hone in on the chocolate cake that Remus had earlier. Just at the sight, Ava's mouth watered. She quickly smacked Sirius on the arm, gaining his attention. "Cake. Get the cake. Before someone else gets it," she ordered him. It didn't dawn on Ava until she snatched the plate from her friend and shoveled a piece of the cake into her mouth that something was wrong with her behavior. With wide eyes, still chewing the massive chunk of cake in her mouth, she looked up at Sirius.

His brows were raised with a look of amusement spread across his face. "Hungry?" he asked.

She turned slightly to look at James, who was staring at her with his mouth hanging open.

Sighing around the delicious chocolate morsel in her mouth, Ava looked across the table to Remus, who was too preoccupied with his food to notice anything amiss.

_Looks like the full moon doesn't just affect him_, she thought morosely.

* * *

Once her second-year Astronomy class was over, Ava immediately packed up her things and sped to the library, hoping to talk with Severus before the younger boys got there. She mentally ran through the pieces of advice that James and Sirius briefed her on after lunch. _Lots of protein, keep performing magic to a minimum, sleep, exercise to work off excess energy, and Pepper-Up Potion if necessary. Jesus Christ. Never thought I'd have to be aware of how to stave off side effects that I'm getting from my _soulmate _because he's _transforming _for the _full moon. She shook her head and smiled. This whole situation was so insane, but incredible at the same time. Sometimes when Ava would wake up in the morning, she had to still remind herself of where she was. She would reach out for her wand resting on her nightstand and just hold it, feeling the magic flowing between herself and the Blackthorn.

She marched up to their usual table in the library, plopping down noisily into her seat, demanding Severus's attention. She leaned forward and whispered, "I've got some..important news to share with you." At his expectant look, she opened her mouth to continue, but before she could launch into her explanation, she heard Benedict's giggle. She let out a sound of annoyance and said, "Nevermind, I'll tell you later. The boys are here already."

A look of confusion passed over Severus's face once he peeked over her shoulder and saw absolutely no one headed towards them.

Ava turned in her seat to see what the Slytherin was frowning about and quickly realized the boys were no where in sight. _Huh_. Just a moment later, the group of first-years came around the corner, causing her to smile. _I guess sensitive hearing is a side effect too._ She looked back at Severus and shrugged, hoping to play off the fact that she heard them way before they arrived. His eyes narrowed in return, but he didn't broach the subject considering that Benedict and his friends were already upon their table.

The study session went just fine, Ava thought. The older pair helped the boys refine their notes for Potions and then answered any questions when the boys needed a little bit of extra help. All in all, she considered it to be a success since the boys loosened up after a while and Severus didn't lose his temper the entire time. Ava stood to help the boys gather their belongings once they were finished, and Benedict held back as his friends walked to the front of the library. He was acting fidgety and kept glancing at Severus out of the corner of his eye.

"Thank you, both of you, for helping us study," he muttered, looking from Ava to Severus.

Severus merely nodded, but Ava could tell that he was appreciative of the boy's show of gratitude.

Ava smiled at the older Slytherin before turning her gaze back onto Benedict. She reached out to ruffle his hair and said, "No problem. Same time next week?"

Benedict looked pleasantly surprised and exclaimed, "Yes!" and then looked at his tutors with wide eyes, seemingly embarrassed over his excitement.

"You know it's okay to enjoy learning, right?" Ava said.

The boy nodded vigorously and turned to walk away, but hesitated. He quickly glanced at Severus before determination set on his face, and then threw himself at Ava, wrapping her up in a hug. "Thank you for not forgetting about me," he told her in a small voice.

Ava hugged him back, but frowned slightly and looked at Severus. She pulled back from Benedict and said, "I would never." Returning his subsequent smile, she added, "Go catch up with your friends, I'll see you around." Ava watched the little Slytherin run through the stacks before turning to Severus. "Dinner in the Kitchens?" He nodded, so they packed up in silence and continued that way until they were sitting down for their meal.

"What did you want to tell me?" he asked.

Ava gulped, suddenly nervous about what Severus might think. "Um, can we just talk about it when we get to the Potions Lab?" she asked, eyeing the house elves.

For a moment, she thought Severus was going to argue with her, but his expression relaxed. "Alright." A moment later, he said, "So, I'll bottle up the rest of the potion for you to use, and I think it'd be a good idea to go ahead and brew another cauldron of that particular recipe tonight as well since it's the most effective potion yet."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks again, Severus." He gave her an almost smile and nodded. _I'll take it_, she thought while returning his grin. When a house elf brought over their food, Ava was bringing Severus up-to-date on which classes she was taking since her schedule was recently changed. "I know that I've got to learn more than just the classes that I'm interested in, even though they're the most useful, but I feel like I'll be taking History of Magic and Astronomy forever! I only just started second-year in those," she complained.

He scoffed. "Please, Ava. Save your grumbling for someone who cares." At her affronted expression, he added, "You're moving through the curriculum faster than any regular seventh-year did."

"I suppose that's true," she mumbled before continuing to eat her dinner.

Once the pair finished their meal, they descended into the dungeons. As they got closer to the Potions Lab, Ava grew more anxious. She felt as though her side effects from being connected to a werewolf might be difficult for Severus to handle and she didn't want to ruin the work that she had put into their friendship thus far. She waited silently while Severus prepared the potion, her anxiety starting to eat her alive. By the time he was nearly finished with the potion, Ava was struggling to keep her news to herself. Finally, the potion was ready to simmer unattended and Severus turned his attention to Ava.

Unable to help herself, she quickly blurted out, "My connection with Remus is causing me to have side effects because the full moon is tomorrow." Severus was silent for so long that Ava thought she'd have to repeat herself when he spoke.

"What _side effects_ are you currently experiencing?" he asked her as he began to pace.

"Well, I keep feeling either feverish or full of energy, my appetite is outrageous, and I can hear super well. Oh, and my magic is a little wonky right now."

"How so?" he questioned with a frown.

"It's not exactly…working properly," she told him with a grimace. "I performed a spell perfectly in Transfiguration earlier today a few times, but then it became more difficult and then the spell wouldn't work for me."

Severus looked thoughtful as he continued walking across the lab.

"I don't think it'll really be an issue because James and Sirius gave me some pointers on what helps. It seems like I'm having almost the same side effects as Remus."

Severus froze in his steps. He spoke so low that Ava wasn't sure that she would've heard him, had it not been for her temporarily enhanced hearing. "Do you know if you'll transform?"

Ava paled and broke into a nervous sweat, her mind whirling. _What? Transform?_ Her vision blurred as she began to breathe rapidly. _How did I not think about this? I might transform into a werewolf._ She reached out to grip the edge of the worktable and missed, falling to the floor. The tears gathering in her eyes trailed down her face as her knees made contact with the stone floor._ No, no, no, no, no_.

"Ava!" Severus gripped her shoulders in an attempt to keep her from collapsing entirely. Her eyes were glazed over and she wouldn't look at him. "Ava," he repeated. She clung onto his robes, chest heaving from her panicked breathing. "Ava," he said once more, shaking her slightly. When she didn't respond, he held her face between his hands and forced her to look at him. "Ava!" he yelled, startling her. "That's it, look at me. Take a deep breath."

Ava listened to Severus once she was pulled from her thoughts. Taking several deep breaths, she began to calm down. "I might be a werewolf?" she asked, eyes still tearing. She looked to him for answers, even knowing he wouldn't have them.

He scowled. "I don't know, but you're going to be just fine." He pulled Ava close and hugged her. "That goddamn wolf better hope to Merlin that you'll be fine. Otherwise, I'll eviscerate him," he growled into her hair.

Ava gave a watery laugh and pulled back from her friend. "Please don't, Severus. It's not his fault." Severus clenched his jaw. "You know it's not his fault. He doesn't even know that we're soulmates. He can't help what's happening any more than I can," she said softly. Ava picked at her robes nervously. "Are we still friends?" she asked without looking up at Severus.

"What? What kind of question is that?" he asked, voice sounding full of genuine confusion.

Slowly, Ava raised her head. His dark eyes seemed to be scanning her face for an answer. "Well, I, uh, I didn't know if—if you'd still _want_ to be friends. Now that, you know, I might be a werewolf," her voice trailed off at the end of her sentence.

Severus pressed his lips together in a firm line. "While I may not like this situation, it's like you said. It's not your fault." Both of them were silent for a minute. "Also, I may have done some thinking after our argument about your wolf."

Ava flashed him a look of surprise.

He scoffed. "I know. But Lupin is not the one I should be placing blame on for that night. It was all Black's idea."

Ava flinched, silently agreeing with Severus.

He let out a long breath. "Anyway, I've learned over the years that I need to value my friendships a little more."

She stayed silent, but nodded once to show him that she was listening.

He began to wring his hands together for a few moments, before pulling them apart and pressing them flat on the cold, stone floor. "In any case, I'm not going to just stop being your friend, Ava."

She could feel tears forming in her eyes again, but blinked rapidly. Severus probably wouldn't appreciate her crying over his declaration of friendship. She reached out and grasped his hand, giving it a good squeeze. "Thank you. Just so you know, I'm not going to just stop being your friend either. No matter what."

The pair sat in silence for some time before Severus stood and offered a hand to Ava. Pulling her up, he said, "We need to come up with a plan for you during the full moon."

Ava gulped, desperately hoping she wouldn't transform. "I'll talk with Aunt Minerva about it. I won't be loose in the castle, but I also don't think I should be outside just running around. Remus goes to the shack, but I don't know if that's where I can go too."

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped. "If you don't transform, he'll devour you."

Ava shook he head. "No, Moony actually likes me. I was there last month when Remus transformed, remember?"

Severus paled. "You were? I—I guess my mind glossed over that fact when you first informed me of how you arrived here."

"Everything was fine though, I promise," she reassured him. "Moony acted just like a big dog with me."

Severus raised his brows silently and nodded, obviously deferring to her on this subject.

Ava sighed. "Why don't we do some work while we wait for the potion to finish, and then you can walk me back?"

"Yeah, alright." He hesitated. "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?"

She smiled at her friend. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm good for now."

He nodded before checking the timer on the potion. The pair completed their homework in near silence, with the exception of Ava occasionally asking Severus clarifying questions about her Defense essay. Once the potion was finished brewing, the future Potions Master bottled it and transfigured a piece of parchment into a bag for Ava to carry all of the vials back to her quarters. They chatted amiably on the walk to her rooms, saying their goodbyes at the door and parting ways for the night.

* * *

Had anyone thought to ask, Remus would've told them that this full moon had been the oddest one yet. In the days leading up to the night of his transformation, he was showing his typical symptoms: insatiable hunger, irritability, senses on overdrive, magic being more draining than usual, but there were others. He struggled to maintain his composure around Ava. Especially today. Yesterday wasn't so bad though. He could smell her more acutely, but that wasn't too difficult to resist when he only saw her during meal times and they were both surrounded by plenty of other smells and sounds. However, today was another story.

When Ava first approached the table for breakfast, she seemed to hesitate while locking eyes with him. She looked completely dazed as she took a step onto the bench, as though she was about to walk right over the table in his direction. Sirius managed to grab her and pull her back to the floor, causing an unconscious growl to erupt from his chest. He shook his head and tried to listen to Ava, now appearing more aware, speaking in hushed whispers to James and Sirius. He frowned, only hearing a faint buzzing sound. _She must've cast some sort of silencing spell_, he thought, considering that the trio was directly across the table from him. Once they sat down, he immediately noticed Ava subtly holding James's hand, and Sirius placing his arm gently around Ava, looking as though he was ready to hold her tight at any moment.

Remus could feel another growl growing in the back of his throat and pinched himself on the leg to stay in control. He couldn't let Moony take over in the middle of the Great Hall for Godric's sake. Moony tensed in the back of his mind, adamant that Remus separate Sirius and James from Ava. _She shouldn't be sitting between the two of them. She belongs with us_, the wolf thought. Remus couldn't keep his thoughts from drifting to a daydream of where he would demand such a thing and Ava would come to him willingly. She would sit on his lap, and he could run his fingers through her hair. He pictured moving her hair gently to the side, exposing her neck. At that image, Moony possessively growled, _Mark our mate_, snapping Remus out of his wonderful daydream.

Throughout the day, he began to realize that the usual side effects the day before the full moon decreased in intensity whenever Ava was around. He felt remarkably better during meals, but he had attributed that to merely eating until he passed Ava in the hallway between classes. He had struggled to get through Defense, and was feeling lethargic when he suddenly began to feel more energized. He perked up, recognizing that this wasn't just the typical shift into restlessness that he always experienced. Ava's scent wafted towards him, alerting Moony as well. Sure enough, the Marauders approached a group of younger Gryffindors that Ava was walking with. Once she spotted James, she headed in their direction, resulting in Remus feeling lighter and healthier than he had since lunch. After a quick glance his way, Ava blushed and gave her goodbyes before continuing down the hall. The further she walked away, the worse Remus felt once again. He looked after her with a contemplative expression that drew the attention of his friends.

"Ooo, someone's got a crush," Peter teased him while elbowing him in the ribs.

Remus waved him off, but stayed silent. In an unspoken agreement, Sirius and James hadn't discussed the whole revelation of Ava being his mate with Peter. And he certainly wasn't going to bring it up.

Later that night, Remus was tossing and turning in bed, trying to fall asleep. He knew that he needed the rest for the following days, but he couldn't seem to settle down knowing that Ava wasn't with him. He mentally scoffed. _She's not even mine to be possessive about_. He rolled over with a huff of annoyance. _Maybe I should have James check on her for me_. He frowned to himself in the dark, realizing how ridiculous that request would sound. _I haven't felt this strong of a pull to her this entire time. Why now?_ he bemoaned, just wanting to sleep. Regardless of his desire to rest, Moony paced, not willing to relent until he was with his mate. Remus knew that outcome was impossible because not only did he not want to scare off the witch, but how was he supposed to get into McGonagall's sleeping quarters? For another thirty minutes or so, he tried to settle Moony and his own thoughts of Ava, but he whipped off the bedsheets, having had enough. He stood, wearing only sleep pants, and headed to the door.

James suddenly appeared before him, blocking his way out of the dorm. "You might want to reconsider whatever you're about to do, Moony," he whispered.

Remus glowered at his friend and clenched his fists in defiance. _I don't even know how I plan to get close to Ava_, he lamented.

Sirius popped up over his right shoulder and calmly said, "C'mon, Moony. I know you're probably wanting to go to her, but now's not the time." The Animagus gripped his shoulders and led him over to James's bed, and the werewolf let out a breath of relief. Moony stopped pacing and let out a noise of approval as Sirius enlarged James's bed and climbed in it.

"Let's go to sleep you big ball of fluff," James said as he grabbed Remus's hand and pulled him towards the bed.

Remus laid on his back between his friends, and slowly took a deep breath, inhaling each of their calming scents. _Pack_, Moony announced, pleased. Surrounded by his pack mates, Remus was eventually able to soothe himself and Moony into a deep slumber.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I didn't intend for this to turn into the slowest of slow burns, but we're finally getting to the good stuff in the next couple of chapters :)
> 
> Thank you all so much for the kudos and comments!!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 24**

"Ava, dear. Wake up," a soft voice said. She assumed the voice belonged to the same person gently shaking her shoulder, trying to rouse her.

Ava groggily opened her eyes, blinking several times before the image in front of her wasn't so fuzzy. Aunt Minerva was in her bedroom, causing a frown to form on Ava's face. "What? What is it?" she asked.

The professor chuckled. "You need to get up and get dressed. Breakfast starts in twenty minutes."

Ava's eyes bugged out of their sockets. "What?!" She scrambled off the bed and around her aunt, racing to the wardrobe then the bathroom. Foregoing her usual shower, she yelled from behind the door, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" as she ripped off her pajamas and shimmied her uniform skirt up her legs.

"Well, it seemed as though you needed all the rest you could get. I thought it would be for the best considering we don't know exactly what is going to happen tonight."

"Yeah, okay," Ava replied weakly. The adrenaline that shot through her body at the idea of being late was quickly wearing off. By the time she finished getting ready, her head was pounding, every muscle ached, and there was a light sheen of sweat across her forehead. She sighed, feeling as though it was inevitable for her to transform into a werewolf later that night when the moon rose. Joining her aunt at the door to their quarters, Ava could see the worry etched onto the professor's face clear as day. "I'll be fine," she huffed, putting on a brave face when beneath the surface, her nerves were all jumbled.

As the pair made their way to the Great Hall, Ava noticed James walking quickly towards the same staircase. "Hey, James!" she called. The wizard looked around for who was calling him before his eyes landed on Ava, resulting in a grin. He strutted over to her and Professor McGonagall, greeting them politely, but she waved on her aunt so that she could speak to James alone. Thankfully, most of the students were already in the Great Hall, but just in case, Ava moved closer to him and whispered, "So, you know how I'm showing similar…furry symptoms as Remus?"

James nodded with furrowed brows.

"Well, Severus pointed out last night that I might transform."

His eyes widened. "Oh, no, Ava. I'm so sorry. We didn't even think about that," James said while running his hand through his hair. "What are you going to do? Did you tell McGonagall?"

She nodded. "Yeah, see, uh, here's the thing—well, you know how Moony was fine with me during the last full moon, right?"

James began nodding slowly, but then scrunched his face up and shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no. You can't be thinking that's a good idea."

Ava huffed. "Well, I thought I might as well ask if I could join you guys," she said, anger lacing her tone. "I figured at least that way, if I do transform, I won't be alone," she added quietly. She turned from him and headed to the dining hall without waiting for a response.

"Whoa, Ava!" James said, grabbing onto her shoulder. "It's not like we _want_ you to be alone. It's complicated."

"But I could show up after Remus transforms and leave before he changes back, and he'll never know," she pleaded, eyes wide. _I don't want to do this on my own_.

Guilt passed over James's face. "I don't want to lie to Moony about this, Ava. We're already doing enough of that. Besides, he'd probably smell you and start asking questions."

She frowned. After a few moments she said, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Plus, what about Peter?" James asked, raising his brows.

Ava sighed. She had completely forgotten about Peter being there. "Wait. What did he think happened with Moony when I first showed up?"

James shrugged. "We talked about it briefly after our conversation in McGonagall's office, but Sirius and I didn't say anything, of course. Peter came to his own conclusion." He grinned. "He figured that Remus could smell that you were somehow related to McGonagall, and since she's his favorite professor, Moony decided not to attack you. We didn't bother correcting him or pointing out the fact that Moony could very well attack McGonagall herself."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she muttered before continuing into the massive hall.

James ran up in front of her to dramatically apologize on his knees to Lily for being late to the most important meal of the day. The redhead merely shook her head and smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Ava approached her usual spot at the table and was just about to sit between Sirius and James when she heard a low growl. With wide eyes, she peeked up at Remus, who was glaring at the boys on either side of her with amber eyes. Thankfully, only the Marauders seemed to notice the deep rumbling coming from the werewolf. _Maybe it's just because I've got super hearing right now. And the boys are all Animagi_, she thought. She slowly took a couple steps back from the bench and Remus stopped growling immediately. Ava tilted her head in thought. Out of curiosity, she moved forward at a snail's pace, appearing as though she were about to take her place between her friends. Again, the growling resumed, but ceased when she backed up once more.

Rolling her eyes at the new possessiveness Remus decided to display, Ava picked up her schoolbag and told James and Lily to scooch down the bench towards Sirius. She sat down on the outside of Lily, on the edge of their friend group, but not next to any boys that Moony deemed a threat. Apparently, the second-year boys on the other side of her didn't count. The meal passed much like the day before, but without Sirius or James to hold onto her, Ava had to make due with clenching the bench or table with her fingers until they were white. Ava felt like her magic was wrecking havoc on her insides, constantly rushing about, seemingly unable to settle. It would only let up when she would sneak glances at the werewolf, but it appeared that the potion Severus had brewed was still working because at least she wasn't feeling any pain. Similarly to yesterday and the day before, Ava was ravenous and sensitive to certain foods as well as loud students.

Her various flinches and grimaces must've caught Lily's attention because soon enough the redhead asked, "Are you okay?"

Ava looked to the girl wearily. Battling with her desire to blurt out the truth to her confidant, Ava swallowed her bite of food and nodded. "Yeah, it's just kinda loud in here today."

Lily frowned and looked around the Great Hall, taking in all of the activity. "I guess," she replied slowly, clearing not agreeing with Ava. Without warning, she reached out and pressed her hand to Ava's forehead, immediately scowling. "I knew it! You never went to Madame Pomfrey, did you?" Lily scolded.

Ava's brows disappeared into her hairline. She certainly wasn't expecting the other witch to react so strongly. "I—um—"

James quickly came to her rescue, grabbing Lily's hand and reassuring her that he and Sirius would take Ava to see the healer before classes started. The redhead narrowed her eyes at James and then looked to Ava, seemingly scanning her face for any tells of deception.

_Good thing I've had plenty of practice at lying recently_, she thought bitterly before saying, "I'll go with them willingly, Lily. In just a few minutes. Let me finish up." She resumed stuffing her face, not feeling her hunger subside even a little bit. Still hungry, she grabbed a banana and apple to go when the boys told her it was time to head to the Hospital Wing. Unable to stop herself, Ava cast her gaze towards Remus, whose eyes were now flashing between amber and green. Clearly, he wasn't happy with her leaving, probably even less so since it was with James and Sirius. _Well, he'll just have to get used to it until he finally accepts me as his mate_, she thought while turning her back to the table and joining the boys at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Thankfully, the boys didn't force Ava to go to the Hospital Wing. However, they did pepper her with questions about her possible transformation, quickly wearing on her nerves. After just a minute of their interrogation, she had enough.

"I don't know!" she snapped, glaring at the two wizards. "I don't know the answers to _any_ of your questions. Why on earth would you think that I somehow had more information about this than you? You two idiots were the ones that cast this spell in the first place," she finished with her brows raised expectantly and her arms crossed.

James and Sirius both stood there, gaping at her, clearly unsure of how to respond.

Ava let out a noise of satisfaction and turned her back on them, striding down the corridor towards her first class. As soon as she rounded the corner, she collapsed against the wall, overcome with the exhaustion required to have a temper and storm away. Chest heaving, she remained leaning on the cold stone for a few minutes, gathering her strength, but unable to keep her thoughts from circling back to the fact that she could transform into a werewolf that very night. _It'll be fine, Ava. You won't technically be alone._ Knowing that she needed to continue on her way to class, Ava pushed herself away from the wall and gradually made her way down the corridor.

Throughout the day, Ava felt progressively worse, merely going through the motions of the day in a fog. _I can't even remember a time that I've felt this sick_, she thought on her way to the library. She skipped lunch in the Great Hall, opting for the Kitchens instead. Other than avoiding Remus, she didn't feel up for seeing Sirius or James right now either. _It's all their fault. I might become a werewolf because of them._ She groaned from the effort it took to open the door to the library, and took a quick breather once she crossed the threshold. _God. I really am going to turn, aren't I? At least I've already talked with Aunt Minerva and Madame Pomfrey about it._ The plan was to ward Ava inside her bedroom, with Professor McGonagall standing guard in case anything happened. The healer was prepared as well, expecting Ava as a patient the next morning, just in case.

Her sensitive hearing picked up on Severus speaking to someone else as she approached their table. Walking out from the bookshelves, she could see that Regulus was sitting with her study partner, appearing to have out his own work. "Hey, guys," she greeted weakly before sitting down.

Both Slytherins looked at her in concern. Severus's eyes were scanning her face and body for further symptoms while Regulus pulled his parchments and textbooks towards himself. "Whatever you've got, don't go spreading it, Ava. I've got an important Quidditch match next weekend," the younger wizard told her.

The idea of lycanthropy being contagious like the common cold amused her. She flashed him a small smile and said, "Don't worry, you won't catch it." Turning her attention to Severus, she saw that his expression of worry hadn't eased. If anything, he appeared more alarmed at her state of health. Sitting up straight, she assured him, "I'm fine."

His lips were pressed together in a thin line, but he nodded once, allowing Ava to breathe a sigh of relief. She didn't think she could handle any more arguing with her friends today.

The trio spent the next couple of hours quietly working on their assignments. Several times, Ava asked Regulus for his guidance with her Astronomy homework, and of course, he obliged, but refused to touch the piece of parchment she was writing her essay on. Her soft giggles resulted in a mock glare each time, and over the course of their study session, both wizards were able to eventually lift her spirits. She couldn't tell if her mood was being affected by the full moon, but she was still irritated as all hell with James and Sirius. First, they wouldn't allow her to transform in the shack with them, and then they wouldn't cease their relentless questions for which she obviously had no answers.

Since Ava had planned ahead with McGonagall and Flopsy to eat dinner in their quarters, she parted ways with the two Slytherins at the door of the library. Regulus began walking in the opposite direction down the corridor, but Severus lingered. He fumbled for a moment in his bag and then held out his hand, revealing three vials of potions.

Ava looked down at them with a frown.

"Take them," he said softly, pushing the glass bottles in her direction.

Carefully, she took the potions one by one and stowed them in her schoolbag. "What are they for? Did you brew them?"

Severus nodded. His expression was blank as he explained, "They're for after tonight, if you transform. Take the red one first, then the clear, and then the purple. In that order. They should help you recover more quickly."

Her mouth hung open slightly. "But-but we only realized it last night."

He cleared his throat and looked away for a moment. "Yes, well. What am I supposed to do if my study partner suddenly doesn't show up?"

Eyes beginning to tear, Ava restrained from launching herself at Severus, knowing he wouldn't appreciate it in front of Regulus and other students who might see. Instead, she reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. Unable to refrain from teasing him, she leaned forward and whispered, "I promise I'll never tell anyone just how sweet you really are."

He jerked back and fixed her with a glare. "I am _not_," he stated before turning with a billow of his robes and flouncing down the corridor to join Regulus.

Shaking her head in laughter, Ava waved at them before heading towards her quarters.

* * *

Ava was pacing in her bedroom, anxiously awaiting the rising of the moon. Her furniture had all been shrunk down and piled in one corner, courtesy of Professor McGonagall, and her door had most definitely been warded. Out of curiosity when she first felt the magic descended over the entrance to her room, Ava stepped forward and pressed her hand against it, only to be zapped with a crackle of magic.

"How much longer?" she shouted, feeling uncomfortable at the idea of being trapped inside her room.

"Only a minute or so," her aunt yelled through the barrier.

Ava nodded and shook out her arms. "Okay," she breathed out. "You've got this. You can do this, Ava. C'mon," she told herself sternly. As moonrise approached over the last hour or so, her anxiety kept mounting. She felt restless and her thoughts were running wild. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes, trying to use her rudimentary Occlumency skills in hopes of calming her mind. Her limbs began to feel tingly, but not in a good way. As if they had fallen asleep and she was now trying to run a marathon.

"I think it's starting," she called out to her aunt on the other side of the door.

"I'm right here if you need me, Avalynn," McGonagall replied.

The pins and needles feeling grew until it was replaced with fiery pain. She ground her teeth together, trying to not let any indication of discomfort escape from her. Ava didn't want the professor to be any more worried than she already was. She was repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists, but now stood in place. Pacing was no longer an option with how much it hurt to move. _It's not too bad though_, she thought. _It's not any worse than when my magic gets all riled up_. Suddenly, the fire running through her body intensified, burning her from the inside out. She dropped to the floor on all fours, unable to hold back a scream. Distantly, Ava could hear McGonagall shouting in alarm as she looked down at her fingers, clawing against the stone floor. _Why haven't I changed yet?_

Blood pounded in her ears as another wave of pain wracked her body. Letting out a shrill scream, she collapsed and turned on her side, wrapping her arms around herself. Uncontrollable tears ran down her cheeks, blurring her vision. Gasping for breath, Ava hoped that was the end. She couldn't have anticipated the true amount of pain that the transformation caused. She was pulled from her thoughts as another surge of pain pulsed through her entire body and shot up her spine, causing her back to arch. This attack lasted longer than the others. Her scream turned into a pitiful wail as she thrashed against the stone several times. When the scorching pain finally subsided, Ava remained on the ground, allowing her tears to fall freely, mixing with her snot and sweat. Her bones ached too much to move or even wipe her face. She lay there, chest having, just trying to catch her breath. _Remus. I need to see Remus. Where is he?_ she thought in a panic as her magic fluttered inside of her chest. _He's in pain. I can feel it_.

"Ava?!" Professor McGonagall called, worry lacing her voice.

She tried to move, but found her body wasn't exactly onboard with her brain at the moment. Her first attempt to speak came out as nothing more than a broken whisper. Her magic tugged frantically towards the door. _He needs me. C'mon, Ava_. She swallowed and tried again. "I'm fine," she managed to mumble.

Obviously her aunt didn't hear the response because once again she shouted, "Ava!" After a moment's pause, she asked, "Are you alright? Are you still—still _you_?" The professor tutted at herself.

A weak smile broke out on Ava's face at hearing the oh so eloquent Minerva McGonagall flustered over having to ask her niece if she was indeed still human or now a transformed werewolf. _Your werewolf is waiting and he needs you_. Rolling onto her stomach, Ava slowly crawled her way over to the door, grimacing with every movement. She pounded on the door, trying to get McGonagall's attention before speaking again. "I'm human," she said, vocal cords sounding like they had gone through a meat grinder.

Whether it was because her aunt was an Animagus, or Ava was much louder than she believed, the professor let out a gasp and immediately began to take down the ward. Just a few moments later, the door gave way, revealing McGonagall's fear stricken face and wet eyes.

"Oh, my dear child," she said softly while bending down to hug Ava tightly.

She couldn't help the groan of pain that escaped her lips from the professor's grip. Both from the horrendous experience she just had, but also from the fact that she couldn't get to Remus fast enough. There was something in her magic telling her that something was wrong and she needed to be there for him.

"I'm so sorry, Ava," the older witch said as she shot back from the girl. "Let's get you somewhere more comfortable." McGonagall pulled out her wand, likely intending to just levitate Ava to the couch, but Ava shook her head.

"I want to walk, and I need to move. I can feel my muscles starting to cramp," she whispered. _I can't get to Remus if I can't move_. "Can I have some water first?" As the professor conjured a glass of water, Ava slowly worked her way onto her knees with her palms on the floor. Each time the girl winced or moaned in pain, McGonagall rushed to help her, but Ava refused. "I need to be able to do this on my own if this is going to happen every month."

The professor looked as though she disagreed, but relented, leaving Ava to her own devices.

Once she leaned back on her heels, Ava managed to grab a hold of the door-frame and gradually pull herself up from the floor. Her magic flared behind her ribs, nudging her to leave their quarters. _Just give me a damn minute_, she thought as she clung to the wall, finally standing. Ava took the water from McGonagall and drank it all in one go. After handing back the glass, she said, "I need to go."

The professor nodded and stepped closer, lifting Ava's arm and draping it over her own shoulder, taking some of Ava's weight off of her legs. "Yes, good idea. Let's go see Poppy."

Ava continued walking to the door, but shook her head. "No. I need to see Remus," she said firmly.

McGonagall halted in her steps and looked down at the girl in utter confusion. "What? Ava, no. Absolutely not. I know his werewolf side reacted well to you last time, but after what you just went through, you need to see a healer."

She clenched her jaw in frustration. "No. What I _need_ to do is see my _mate_," she ground out while her magic sang throughout her body in agreement. Ava could tell by the look on the professor's face that she didn't understand. "Look, it might not make sense to you, but I need to see him. I can feel him. He's hurting right now and he needs me." Her voice broke over the last sentence. She began moving towards the door once more, but her aunt stayed put. "What?" she asked, annoyance lacing her tone.

McGonagall's brows were furrowed as she pursed her lips. She slowly shook her head and let Ava's arm fall from her shoulder, causing the girl to wobble in place before she found her footing. "I'm not going to allow you to see him right now, Ava. You need to see Madame Pomfrey first and foremost, and then we'll go from there," she said in her stern, teacher voice.

Ava rose her eyebrows. "You won't _allow_ me?" she asked incredulously while glaring at the older witch. She could feel her magic bubbling in rage beneath the surface. Unable to walk on her own yet, Ava stumbled towards the couch and used the back of it to steady her balance. "I _will_ be going to see Remus, whether I have to go on my own or not," she said.

The professor gave her a look of pity and cast a Patronus, sending it to Poppy, requesting that she bring a calming draught for Ava.

She looked at her aunt with wide eyes. "You're going to _drug_ me?" Her magic swirled in her chest, demanding her attention as it compelled her to seek out Remus. As quickly as she could, Ava moved her way from one end of the sofa to the other, closer to the door. "No, you don't. You can't keep me from him. This is ridiculous!"

"What's ridiculous is your behavior young lady!" McGonagall shouted at her. "Now I don't know if it's the connection you share with the boy or what, but you need to stop this nonsense right now. You are in no condition to be traipsing about the castle grounds intent on confronting a werewolf." She stood with her hands on her hips, clearly expecting Ava to comply.

Ava scoffed. "Well, I'll just be going then," she said while testing her legs without holding onto something for support. Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she glanced up to see that Professor McGonagall had drawn her wand.

Frowning deeply, the older witch said, "I'm sorry to do this, but it's for your own good."

Ava felt as though her magic had raised its hackles, ready for a fight. _No, please._ She knew that something must've been wrong with Remus if her magic was acting so erratically. _I don't even have my wand_, she thought briefly as the professor sent a _Stupefy_ directly towards her. Without thinking, Ava raised her hand and shouted, "_Protego_!" and "_Stupefy_!" in quick succession. In a matter of seconds, McGonagall was laying on the floor, unconscious.

"Oh my god," Ava breathed out, eyes widened, scanning the room as if it held the answers. "What the hell just happened?" she shrieked, stumbling towards the professor. Feeling for a pulse, Ava determined that she had merely knocked out the older witch.

She had reacted instinctively, her magic controlling her movements. Speaking of which, it once again battered against her ribs, urgently pushing her on. _Remus_, she thought belatedly. Immediately, she stood and walked to the door, pushing through the aches and pains as she grasped the door handle and fell into the corridor.

Thankfully, Ava didn't run into many students. Curfew was soon, so most should've been in their common rooms. Those that did see her seemed to glance in her direction once and continue walking quickly in the opposite direction. _I must look crazed or something_, she thought, walking as quickly as she could manage. Occasionally, one of her legs would give out, causing her to stumble a bit, but she refused to slow down. _Remus needs me. I'm almost there_, she thought while making her way outside.

_I'm coming, I promise._ She doubted that he could actually hear her somehow through the bond, but she repeated the sentence several times. Her magic was bouncing happily around, sending waves of a pleasant warmth throughout her extremities. She paused at the crest of a hill, finally spotting the Whomping Willow. Ava knew she wouldn't be able to hit the knot of the tree trunk quick enough, but hoped that she could at least dodge the tree branches whipping about. She took off running as fast as she could, looking like a newborn foal. _Almost there_, she thought with a wide grin as her magic churned in anticipation. She was nearly upon the tree when her vision was suddenly engulfed in blackness.

* * *

Ava woke with a gasp, immediately recognizing that she wasn't in her own bed. Or the Shrieking Shack. Lifting herself up onto her elbows, she looked around to see the familiar sight of the Hospital Wing. _What the fuck? How did I get here? Where's Remus?_ At the thought of her soulmate, her magic flared to life, burning in her chest, pressuring her to find him. Ava sat up and quickly realized that she didn't feel as weak as she did earlier. As she stood from the bed and tested putting her full weight on either leg, she glanced down and saw that she was wearing the same clothes as earlier. The room was darkened, so it could still be the same night or possibly early the next morning. "Okay, okay," she grumbled as her magic made itself known, tugging in her a particular direction once again.

Peeking around the massive room, Ava could see that the other beds weren't occupied, but her magic was pulling her towards the back, where a curtain had been drawn around a bed. Frowning, she cautiously drew back the curtain. Her magic rejoiced at the sight in front of her. She rushed to the side of the bed, and picked up Remus's hand, holding it reverently in her own. She gently brushed his sandy hair back from his face, and as her eyes darted over his body, her concern grew. His face, arms, and neck were littered with many more bruises and cuts than the last time she saw him after a full moon. _What happened to him? What does the rest of him look like?_ Tears began to pool in her eyes, recalling how dire it seemed for her to find him. _It must be worse because I couldn't get to him. He's all torn up, and it's my fault._ Hearing the curtain rustle behind her, Ava released Remus's hand and turned around in fright, but relaxed the moment she recognized Madame Pomfrey.

"He shouldn't be waking up any time soon, dear, if you'd like to keep him company," the healer whispered.

Ava nodded, then frowned. "How did I get here?" she whispered back.

Madame Pomfrey sighed. "I had to stun you, Ava. Minerva sent me a second Patronus, informing me that you stunned her and then took off. Apparently, to find Mr. Lupin. She said that you weren't acting quite like yourself." She raised her brows.

Ava grimaced. "Yeah, I really didn't mean to. Is she okay?"

"She's perfectly fine. If anything, it's her ego that's bruised. You managed to catch her off guard, and you performed the spell wandless too." The healer cracked a small smile.

"I don't even know how I did that."

Pomfrey nodded. "Well, I'm sure we can talk about it tomorrow," she said while pulling up a chair for Ava to sit in next to Remus's bed. "I know your connection requires you to be close to each other, but no funny business, you hear?"

Ava blushed. "Yes, ma'am."

The matron left, closing the curtain behind her. Ava let out a sigh and took Remus's hand in hers once more. Feeling their connection was amazing. It made her magic dance in delight and she felt safe and calm in his presence. Skin on skin contact must've been what her magic had been seeking because the pain behind her ribs ceased once she settled in her seat and held onto his hand. Eventually, she couldn't keep her eyes open and she fell fast asleep, still clutching onto her soulmate's hand.

* * *

Remus awoke slowly, as he usually did after his transformation. He hated relying on his friends to get him back up to the castle and into the Hospital Wing, but he was typically too exhausted to do it himself, whether it was from having too much fun playing with his Animagi friends or because Moony was in a snit about something and was too rough with himself. However, before even opening his eyes, he could sense someone was near him. Even more alarming was that that person was holding his hand. Too startled to actually take a peek, Remus used his sense of smell to figure out who was keeping vigil by his bedside. _Avalynn_. Both he and Moony couldn't refrain from letting out a pleased rumble from within his chest. His eyes snapped open at the thought of Ava being awake, and having heard him, but thankfully, she was asleep.

He silently took her in and quickly noticed that her head was resting on his thigh while one hand clung onto his and the other laid in her lap. The chair she was sitting in had been pushed as close as possible to the side of his bed, causing a grin to break out on his face. Remus slowly lifted his free hand and gently ran it over Ava's hair a few times. She stirred, but only to snuggle into his leg and let out a happy sigh. His smile widened. Both he and Moony were ecstatic that she was comfortable enough with them to behave in such a manner. Frowning slightly, he thought, _What is she doing here anyway?_ After a few moments of pondering, he realized that Ava must truly care for him if she chose to visit him after a transformation. However, that only confused him further since she hadn't given any real indications about her feelings for him besides her adorable blushing and slight jealousy in front of Allison.

_She knows she's our mate_, Moony said in a convinced tone in the back of his mind.

Remus looked down at the witch in disbelief. _Maybe he's right. She does know that I'm a werewolf. Right? How could she not? How is she so okay with that? Maybe she forgot?_ Remus didn't think that was likely, but her arrival to Hogwarts was quite chaotic and she had just lost her mum.

His face scrunched up as he shook his head once. _You can't just forget something like that._ Ava shifted in her sleep once again, drawing his attention. His eyes roved over her soft hair and the freckles splashed on her cheeks and nose, and he realized with a start that he thought she was beautiful. He took another glance at his mate, loving the fact that he was able to slowly take in her features without the worry of being caught. Remus could feel the connection between them and what he thought must've been his magic, humming in pleasure, extending down his arm and into the hand that Ava was holding.

He sighed softly. _Maybe I need to stop running from this_. Remus recalled what James had said about not hurting Ava's feelings, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He knew that Ava disliked the idea of him going on a date with Allison Clover and he considered the fact that Moony violently protested whenever the Hufflepuff was in close proximity to him. Not to mention, she had kissed him on the cheek at the end of their "study date" the other day and he wasn't pleased. He had squirmed in his seat, feeling dirty and ashamed, like he was cheating on Ava somehow, even if it didn't make complete sense to him. Remus ignored the compulsion to seek out Ava and admit his wrongdoing afterwards, and he had to keep trying to convince himself that he hadn't even done anything wrong. _It could've been my magic telling me that Allison is wrong for me_, he realized.

Unbeknownst to the werewolf, he had absentmindedly began stroking Ava's hair while lost in his thoughts. He only noticed because she let out another pleased sigh. _Shit. This is real. She's my mate_. Remus nodded firmly to himself, mind made up. Tomorrow, he'd talk to Allison and call off their date and he would need to start spending more time with Ava. _Hopefully, she'll give me the chance to get to know her better and I'll be able to break this news to her gently._ He looked up from the wonderful girl keeping him company at the sound of distant footsteps. His wide eyes flickered down to Ava, who was still clutching his hand like a lifeline. He couldn't decide which was worse, waking her up and having to face her right now, or letting Madame Pomfrey find her practically draped over him. Hearing the curtain rustle, he realized he ran out of time, so he did what every brave wizard would do. Pretended to be asleep.

As the healer approached his bed, she whispered, "Ava. Wake up, dear."

Remus could feel the young witch beginning to stir and it took every ounce of strength to not react to her touch as she moved from his thigh. His magic was calling out to Ava, desperately trying to get him to move closer to her. He tried to focus on breathing slowly and deeply as though he were asleep, but that also meant that he was inhaling Ava's scent, and it was proving to be a difficult task because his heart and magic were racing and didn't want her to leave him yet.

* * *

Ava was woken by Madame Pomfrey gently calling her name. She slowly blinked several times before remembering where she was and why. Her cheeks reddened at the realization that her head was currently laying on Remus's leg, and she quickly sat up, turning to the healer to apologize.

The older witch was smiling and held up her hand. "It's fine, dear. He'll be waking up soon though." She paused, furrowing her brows. "You could stay, you know. And be here when he wakes up."

Ava gulped and turned back towards her soulmate. She didn't think he was quite ready for that discussion. Reluctantly, she started to withdraw her hand from Remus's, but felt a minute squeeze, causing her to freeze and glance up at him with wide eyes. Thankfully, he was still asleep. _That was close_, she thought. _I have no idea how he'd feel with me being here, fussing over him._

Madame Pomfrey must've thought that her hesitation was because of her worry over Remus's health. "Don't worry, dear. I'll admit that this moon was his worst yet, but I'm confident that he'll be out of here by tomorrow evening at the latest."

Ava's heart and magic ached for him. With the amount of pain she felt from just being connected to a werewolf, she couldn't imagine the true feeling of transforming each month. She stood and stepped away from the bed. "Do you agree with Aunt Minerva? That I shouldn't be with him while he transforms?" She sighed. "I was perfectly fine last time. I know he won't hurt me."

* * *

Remus's mind was whirling. _She wants to be in the shack while I transform?! No. No way in hell. Of course McGonagall's right._

Moony snarled at him, adamant that he wouldn't hurt his mate. _Never_, Moony growled.

Remus broke away from his worrisome thoughts when Madame Pomfrey sighed.

"To be fair, Ava, you did arrive _after_ his transformation last month," the healer said.

The girl let out a frustrated huff and Remus could just picture her cute face scrunching up in annoyance while she crossed her arms. However, he nearly gave away the fact that he wasn't truly asleep after hearing Ava's next comment.

"We'll just have to see next month, won't we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> I almost ended the chapter after Ava was stunned by Madame Pomfrey. Devious, I know :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's a real quick chapter, and then we're on to Hogsmeade later this week :)
> 
> Thank you for all of the kudos and comments! As always, please let me know what you think :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 25**

Ava glanced over her shoulder, taking one last took at Remus in the hospital bed. _I'll be there next time_, she promised internally. She closed the privacy curtain behind her and followed Madame Pomfrey back to her own bed and hopped up on it.

"So, what's wrong with me now?" she asked.

The healer's eyes widened before furrowing her brows. "Nothing. Why would you think such a thing?"

Ava shrugged. "I dunno." She looked down to the bed sheet, smoothing it out. "I guess everything has just kept getting worse since I got here."

"Well then. I'm sorry to say that I've only got good news for you."

Her head whipped up to Madame Pomfrey. "Yeah?"

"While your magical core hasn't gotten any better, it seems to be holding steady for the time being, which is most assuredly good news. Also, you might not have noticed, but the scrapes and bruises that you arrived with have been healed. Given that they were only minor, they were easy to heal while you were unconscious."

Ava pressed her lips together. She may have been stunned for a good reason, but that didn't mean that she needed to agree with it. After another moment of silence, she asked, "Why can't you heal the bruises and cuts on Remus?"

Madame Pomfrey scowled. "I wish I could, dear. Bruises caused by extreme blunt force trauma simply take longer to heal, but those cuts…" She sighed. "I cannot magically heal any scratches caused by a werewolf. They simply need time, but they will scar."

Ava's vision blurred at the reminder that she wasn't there for her soulmate when he needed her. _Next time_, she thought as she wiped her eyes. "What about Muggle medicine? Could that heal the scars? Like antibiotic ointment?"

The matron frowned and opened her mouth to reply, but they were interrupted by the arrival of Professor McGonagall.

When Ava saw who walked through the door, she looked away, feeling her face redden. _I hope she's not too angry with me_. She could sense her aunt approaching the bed, but still didn't make eye contact. McGonagall cleared her throat, drawing Ava's reluctant gaze.

"You have some explaining to do, young lady," she said, keeping a blank expression.

Ava felt her hope flicker out. Her eyes stung and she began to apologize when McGonagall continued.

"How in Godric's name did you manage to cast those spells wandlessly?" the older witch asked with a smile, genuine curiosity shining through her eyes.

"You're—you're not mad?" Ava sputtered out.

"Certainly not, dear child. I—Ooph." The professor was cut off by Ava launching herself off the bed and wrapping her up in a tight hug.

"I'm _so_ sorry! I really didn't mean to. I didn't even know what I was doing, I swear! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed while crying into her aunt's shoulder.

McGonagall gently patted Ava's back while sharing an amused look with Pomfrey and pulled away from her niece. "Calm down, Ava. It's quite alright."

She wiped her nose and eyes. "But what if I had actually hurt you?"

"Nonsense. I'm perfectly fine. While I believe your magic was acting out of instinct, I doubt it would've truly harmed me."

Ava sniffled. "You think so?" Both the professor and healer nodded. "So, you think that's what happened? My magic acted out because it wanted me to get to Remus?"

"I think that's the most logical explanation," McGonagall said. "You were rather determined to see him after your…ordeal."

Pomfrey spoke up. "Now, you may be physically healed, but I'd like you to rest for the next couple of hours until breakfast."

Ava nodded, moving to climb back into her hospital bed.

"I think it'd be for the best if you return to your quarters actually. So that you can rest without distractions," she said while nudging her head towards where Remus was. "With your permission, I'd like to administer a Calming Draught," the healer continued, giving Ava a pointed look.

Throwing a forlorn look in the direction of the privacy curtains, Ava nodded. "Fine." Fortunately, her magic only put up a small fuss, trying to lead her back towards Remus as she left the Hospital Wing. _Must be because I got to spend a couple hours with him_, she thought.

Professor McGonagall and Ava walked back to their quarters, chatting about Ava's classes until they reached her bedroom. Her aunt made sure to watch Ava drink the Calming Draught, and the young girl even made the point of opening her mouth wide and sticking out her tongue while holding the potion vial upside-down.

"You'll wake me up before breakfast?" Ava asked.

"Of course."

"Alright. Goodnight then," she said before closing the door behind her. Thankfully, her aunt had the foresight to resize her furniture and set her room back to normal before picking her up. Not bothering to change her clothes, Ava collapsed on her bed and feel soundly asleep within a minute.

* * *

With Remus's absence from the Gryffindor table, Ava figured that the meal would be easier for her, considering her magic wouldn't try to force her to publicly make-out with him from across the table. However, her magic had other ideas. Primarily, that Ava should be with Remus in the Hospital Wing. And apparently, she needed to be reminded of that fact constantly. Thanks to the potion Severus brewed, she wasn't experiencing the usual pain that accompanied her magic's temper tantrums, but needing to physically be with Remus wasn't far from her mind. Whenever she let her guard down, Ava would find herself beginning to rise from her seat, intent on going to the Hospital Wing. Once she explained behind a softly cast _Muffliato_, Sirius and James kept an eye out and every few minutes had to pull Ava back to reality.

Lily startled Ava at one point, saying, "You look a lot healthier than yesterday. Are you feeling better?"

Ava nodded, a little too enthusiastically. "Yep. I finally saw Madame Pomfrey about it."

Lily narrowed her eyes slightly, but then flashed Ava a smile, seeming to let it go.

_Thank God_, Ava thought, returning to her meal. At the end of breakfast, while everyone was busy gathering their things and heading to class, Ava whispered to Sirius that she needed to speak with him and James in the Room of Requirement around 9 p.m. that night. He nodded in agreement without hesitation. _Let's hope they're that willing once they've heard my plans later._ She mentally scoffed. _They'll have to. I won't be taking no for an answer,_ she thought, considering how torn up Remus was after the full moon.

* * *

Severus strode into the library, eyes searching for Ava before making a beeline to their usual study table. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he was desperate to hear how the full moon went for her. Judging by her appearance at breakfast this morning, it couldn't have been too bad. _I don't think she transformed_, he thought hopefully. _Lupin was still missing, but she was at least able to attend meals and classes._

Finding Ava already at their spot, he sat without taking out his assignments and proceeded to stare at the girl until she looked up a few moments later. "So?" he asked, raising his brows.

Ava frowned slightly and hesitated.

_Maybe she did turn_, he thought, his stomach dropping to the floor.

She quickly cast _Muffliato_ before regaling him with details of last night. His clenched fists were able to relax when Ava revealed that although she endured great pain as though she were transforming, she didn't actually turn into a werewolf.

He whispered, "I'm relieved."

She grimaced, probably recalling the pain.

Without thinking, he reached out to place his hand over hers, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry you had to experience that." His eyes widened minutely before he schooled his features. _Why am I apologizing?_ he scolded himself. _It's not as though it's my fault._ But Ava's resulting smile made Severus feel more confident in his actions.

Pulling back his hand, he indicated for Ava to continue speaking. Severus could feel his eyes bug out when Ava mentioned that she managed to wandlessly stun Professor McGonagall.

She giggled. "I know, right?"

"What did you do after that?" he asked eagerly.

Ava shook her head at him with a smile, but continued, describing everything that happened up to her returning to her quarters.

After a few moments of silence, he said, "It seems as though your magic won't relent unless your unconscious or with Lupin." Ava nodded. "So, what are your plans for the next full moon? Will you try to be with him during the transformation?"

She sighed. "I hope so."

Severus couldn't bring himself to fully understand where Ava was coming from. Even without the life threatening prank that Black had pulled, he couldn't see the appeal of being near a werewolf during transformation. _I suppose her magic will keep her safe_. "Will your magic protect you?" he asked aloud.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely," she replied, nodding vigorously.

Knowing that he would just have to take her word for it, he changed the topic. "We're ahead on brewing the pain potion, so I think our time tonight would be better spent practicing your Occlumency skills."

Ava smiled. "Alright. Want to meet in the Room of Requirement after dinner? James and Sirius are supposed to meet me there at 9 anyway, so we can practice until then."

"That works for me."

Until it was time for their evening meal, the pair completed homework assignments and studied. Severus was rather impressed with Ava's progression through the magical curriculum, not that he'd willingly tell her that anytime soon. He wagered that she'd be in several seventh year classes by Christmas and perhaps all of them by March. On their way to the Great Hall for dinner, he briefly wondered if she would still want to spend time with him once she caught up in her studies. But as they walked into the dining hall, he saw Regulus and Ava make eye contact, causing her to smile and wave. That small action reassured Severus that Ava was a true friend. She might have been a Gryffindor, but she was always honest and real with him, unlike most of his fellow Slytherins.

* * *

Throughout dinner, Ava thought that Lily had seemed a little shifty. The redhead wasn't involved in the group's conversations as much as usual, and she kept reaching around James to ask Ava questions.

"So, how are you feeling now? Still okay?"

"Is your magic doing okay too?"

"Is it behaving normally?"

"Did you have any problems with it today?"

"How about yesterday?"

Ava just smiled and nodded or gave one word answers, internally wondering what on earth was going through Lily's head. As she was leaving the Great Hall to meet up with Severus, Lily stopped her just outside the entrance.

"Ava, I, uh, wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

Lily hesitated, but Ava could see determination enter her eyes right before she asked, "Is there something going on with you and Remus besides just liking him?" The redhead crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes while adding, "And don't lie to me."

Ava's eyebrows disappeared into her hair line. "What do you mean?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded stronger than it felt.

Lily's face softened before she reached out to place a hand on Ava's arm. "I'm not trying to bully you into telling me your secrets, but I'm here to talk if you need anything. And I know things." She leaned closer and whispered, "Like Remus's furry little problem."

Ava nodded.

"And you seem to be in a similar, if not the exact same situation," Lily continued.

Her mind whirled. _Lily figured it out. If all it took was one full moon, what about the rest of the year? Will everyone notice? I can't let that happen._

Lily must've been able to see Ava panicking internally because she gently gave Ava's arm a squeeze. "Hey, I'm not going to say anything. I can keep a secret you know."

Ava laughed weakly. "Yeah, uh, it's not exactly what you think."

Someone behind Lily cleared a throat. Both girls looked over to see Severus giving Ava an expectant look. She nodded to him, and he moved to wait for her on the other side of the corridor.

"Ava, are you sure—"

"He's my friend, Lily," she said firmly.

"I understand that, but I don't think you should be spending a lot of time with him."

Ava sighed. "I'll be just fine."

"Just—just be careful, yeah?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm actually really good friends with him."

Lily's eyebrows raised and she opened her mouth to speak. However, before she could say anything, Ava muttered a quick goodbye and joined the Slytherin, both immediately setting off down the corridor.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I know the last chapter was shorter than usual, but I have a feeling that this one makes up for it :)
> 
> Thank you SO much for all of the kudos and comments!! :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 26**

Avalynn found the cool autumn air refreshing as she walked to Hogsmeade along with her fellow Gryffindors, and felt herself relaxing for probably the first time since arriving from her world. Her classes were going great and her Occlumency skills were developing nicely, according to Severus, and everything in her personal life seemed to turn around after the full moon. James and Sirius met with her in the Room of Requirement and once they heard what the night had been like for her, they confessed that Moony was more violent and restless than normal. The three of them agreed that during the next full moon they would all figure something out to make it easier on Ava and Remus. _I've got a little less than a month to wear them down_, she thought, glancing over to see James and Lily walking hand in hand and laughing at something Sirius said. _I_ will _be with Remus during the full moon_.

Peter seemed to be attentively listening to Mary as they went up the path a little ahead of everyone else. Ava frowned to herself, not quite sure how to handle the fourth Marauder. She could admit that she had been avoiding him, and she knew that she needed to work on that if there was any chance of keeping him from turning to the Death Eaters. Ava was pulled from her thoughts as someone gently bumped her shoulder.

She automatically apologized and glanced up to see Remus grinning down at her.

"I was trying to get your attention", he said.

"Oh, sorry," she said, again, mentally rolling her eyes at herself. Ava could feel her cheeks turning red in embarrassment as she turned to look straight ahead.

"It's quite alright. I get lost in my thoughts sometimes too."

Risking another look at Remus, Ava could see that he was giving her a friendly smile and not mocking her. Heart racing, she nodded in response and continued following the group towards Hogsmeade. _Think! What do I say? Oh good Lord, this is awful. He's going to think I'm an idiot!_

Thankfully, the werewolf decided to speak up. "So, how are your classes going? Sirius told me that you're getting rather good at dueling."

She flashed him a grateful smile and quickly brought him up to speed with her mismatched level of subjects. Realizing that she had been speaking for several minutes, she grimaced and asked, "Am I boring you?"

Remus's eyes widened. "No, of course not."

"Okay, good. I'm sorry, I just noticed that I had been rambling for a while," she said, giving him a sheepish smile.

"I wouldn't have asked unless I cared, Avalynn."

Her magic swirled and fizzled in delight at hearing her name fall from his lips. She had to grip the inside of her jacket pockets to keep herself from reaching out to grab his hand. _Calm down, you stupid magic. He only asked me about school. That doesn't mean he's in love with me for fuck's sake_, she grumbled internally. However, Ava couldn't help but think about the fact that Remus had broken off his date with Allison Clover. Granted, he hadn't turned around and asked her instead, but according to James, the werewolf was adamant about her coming with them as a group.

She glanced at Remus with a smile and asked, "How are your classes going?" When he began talking, she tried to subtly take calming breaths in an attempt to settle her nerves. _You can do this. You're the one who wanted to be friends first. It'll be fine, just be his friend. You're friends with plenty of guys, you can do this._ Although Ava's mental pep talk might have allowed her to feel slightly less anxious about the task of befriending Remus, her hands remained clenched in the material of her jacket, hidden away.

* * *

Remus prattled on about his classes, trying to refrain from smiling at Ava's behavior. She was trying to hide her nervousness, but it was obvious to him and rather endearing. He firmly believed that she was one of strongest people he knew, being able to dive into the Wizarding World head-first just after losing a parent and tackling all of the challenges that came with learning magic so late in life. Both he and Moony were impressed with Ava's fortitude and dedication to her studies, and he couldn't help but admire her determination to keep up a brave front. Even if she falsely assumed that she needed it with him. He knew it was much too soon, but there was a major part of him that wanted to scoop Ava up in his arms and hold her tight, protecting her from any worries or fears.

Closing in on the small village, Lily took it upon herself to describe a handful of stores and restaurants to Ava. Watching his mate closely, he noticed the hidden excitement in her eyes at the idea of visiting Honeyduke's and Zonko's, so he made sure to loudly suggest that the group stop at those two stores after grabbing lunch at the Three Broomsticks.

Without fail, Ava turned to him with narrowed eyes, but instead of avoiding her gaze like he might have before, he locked eyes with her and smiled. Her expression didn't change as she walked around him to follow the others into the warm restaurant, causing him to roll his eyes. _She_ is _stubborn_, he thought, recalling the amount of times that James or Sirius had complained about that trait of hers. He wondered how long it would take for her to fully acknowledge how comfortable she felt around him, and when she would be ready to admit it to him. After waking up with Ava asleep at his bedside, it was obvious that she could at least accept her feelings for him in private, but how much longer until she was willing to be upfront with him about it? _However long it takes_, Moony commented from the back of his mind. Remus found himself absentmindedly nodding along with his wolf. He would give Ava whatever amount of time and space she needed to come to grips with being his mate.

He immediately frowned, recalling the hushed conversation in the Hospital Wing he overheard after the full moon between Ava, McGonagall, and Pomfrey. He wasn't opposed to allowing Ava time to come to accept with her feelings for him and their shared connection, but he didn't know how much longer he could stay in the dark about what was happening to her. Both he and Moony pondered over the idea of Ava's magic acting instinctively so that she could get to him after the transformation. Moony was pleased with this discovery, but Remus hesitated to celebrate. Even if she might be safe around him during a full moon because of their magic and connection, he didn't want to risk the chance of biting her and infecting her with his curse. Moony snarled in protest. _Not a curse. Would never hurt our mate._

Remus approached the tables that his friends had pushed together and took the only empty seat left. He could feel Ava stiffen when he first sat down, but she eventually relaxed. The most pressing concern for Remus from his eavesdropping in the Hospital Wing was that Ava experienced some sort of "ordeal" and he had no idea what it was. Even though James and Sirius were tight lipped about the whole thing, he was determined to find out. To that thought, Moony let out a low grumble, indicating his agreement.

The group of Gryffindors enjoyed a lunch and several rounds of butterbeer, revealing a more open and giggly side of Ava that Remus had yet to see. Every time she laughed real hard, her whole body would react, moving uncontrollably with her laughter. She'd lean over and bump shoulders with himself or Sirius, who sat on her other side, sometimes ducking her head into their shoulders when the story was particularly embarrassing. With some distance from the full moon, Remus was able to curb Moony's blatant disapproval when Ava would lean into Sirius rather than himself, keeping any growls internal. However, he couldn't stop his own jealousy from rearing its ugly head. Feeling the green monster creeping into his mind, he shook his head, trying to dispel those thoughts. As much as Sirius liked to flirt with girls, Remus knew that he wouldn't pursue Ava. His Animagus friend might be a little promiscuous, but he would never jeopardize a friendship over a girl. Not to mention, Sirius already saw Ava as a friend and not a potential conquest. When another funny anecdote caused Ava to veer towards his friend, Remus had to consciously remind himself that Sirius had also been scheming this entire time to get him and Ava together—ever since Moony showed a preference at her arrival.

His eyes roved over Ava, taking in her wide grin and watery eyes as she clutched onto Sirius's arm. Glancing up to his friend's face, Remus saw the apologetic look that Sirius was shooting his way. The werewolf gave him a small smile and a subtle shrug, knowing that he had nothing to worry about when it came to Sirius and his mate.

A few minutes later, the group left the Three Broomsticks and parted their separate ways, with the Marauders and Lily showing Ava the rest of the village. Remus couldn't tear his eyes away from Ava's face the entire outing. He loved watching her reaction to everything, her expression bright with excitement and a childlike wonder while they explored the various Wizarding shops. Ava's mood seemed to be infectious as Remus noticed himself feeling light and carefree around her. Mate, Moony reminded him, causing Remus's thoughts to falter. Being friends with Ava felt natural and easy, which isn't what he expected with having a mate. He worried that the magic would fabricate their feelings, but everything felt so real with her. His magic came alive at her touch and his heart soared when she would grace him with a smile. It felt like a burden had been lifted from his chest. _Our feelings are real_, he concluded with a smile just as someone bumped his shoulder.

Frowning, with an apology on his lips, he glanced down to see Ava grinning at him.

"I guess you do get lost in your thoughts too, huh?"

"Occasionally," he replied with a small smile.

"Well, Lily just suggested that we go into Honeyduke's, and I was asking if you wanted to come with."

Nodding, probably a little too enthusiastically, if Ava's chuckle was anything to go by, he said, "Of course."

Spotting that their friends had already entered the candy shop, Remus strode ahead to open the door for Ava.

Her cheeks were tinted pink as she said, "What a perfect gentleman," while patting his arm and brushing past him to get inside the shop.

Even though her body was only pressed against his for a moment as she squeezed through the narrow entry way, Remus's magic flared in pleasure. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and grasped Ava's arm.

She tensed and looked back at him with wide eyes. "Remus?"

_What the hell are you doing?!_ he snapped at himself. Y_ou can't just go around grabbing witches like that. Say something!_ He cleared his throat, willing an explanation to come to him. Noticing Ava's expression morphing from surprise to concern, he blurted, "Let me show you around," hoping to avoid any prying questions.

Her body relaxed. "Sure." She stepped to the side, making room for him to join her inside the busy candy shop. People were barely able to shuffle around each other between the massive columns of different candies that stretched from the floor to ceiling.

His gaze flicked to Ava's face, making sure that he hadn't scared her.

Her eyes were wide once again, but he had a sense it was in anticipation and not fright this time. "There's so much to choose from. It all looks _so good_," she moaned.

Her words sent a pleasant shiver through his body, and he tried to subtly adjust his trousers. _Calm the fuck down. Now is_ not _the time_, he reprimanded both himself and Moony, who immediately perked up at Ava's arousing tone. _Merlin, it's like I'm thirteen again. Get it together Remus!_

Ava turned towards him, and he quickly grabbed her shoulders, steering her through the aisles, facing away from him. After finding out that Ava preferred chocolate, peanut butter, and sour candies, he took the time to show her the different products that he thought she'd enjoy. After a short while, her arms were full of candy, piled high with different kinds of goodies, but primarily chocolate he noticed. He helped her carry it all to the counter, where she surprised him by purchasing a few pieces of fudge as well. After that addition, he couldn't help but let out a loud, full belly laugh.

Her head whipped around and she pierced him with narrowed eyes. "What?"

He raised his hands in surrender, laughter still subsiding, as he said between breaths, "I just think that's the most amount of candy I've _ever_ seen someone purchase, and I'm friends with Sirius and Peter, so that's saying something."

If anything, her eyes narrowed further. "Are you implying that I'm _fat_, Remus Lupin?" she asked in a low voice while placing her hands on her hips.

His jaw dropped. That had not been his intention at all. He floundered over an apology for a few moments before Ava bursted out laughing.

"I'm joking," she said with a wide grin, patting him gently on the arm. "You should've seen your face!" She continued laughing at him and shaking her head as she turned back to the cashier.

_That cheeky witch_, he thought with a small smile.

He absentmindedly followed Ava out of the shop as she left the front counter. The cool air pulled the werewolf from his thoughts, and he looked down to see her holding a single Honeyduke's shopping bag while unwrapping a lollipop. "I really was just joking, Remus."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm still sorry about that. You're free to buy as much candy as you want."

She smiled at him around the lollipop in her mouth. "You're damn right I am."

He shook his head. _She doesn't seem to take shit from anyone. She'll certainly keep me on my toes_, he contemplated, thinking of a future with the witch in front of him.

"I don't see anyone else yet. Maybe they're still inside?" she asked, scanning the street for their friends.

Remus didn't reply, as he was too distracted by the candy occupying Ava's mouth, or rather, too busy wishing he could take place of the lollipop. Just watching her lips caress the little piece of sugar was causing wild thoughts to run through his head. _Slamming his lips onto hers, threading his fingers through her hair, gently pulling back her head to expose her delicious neck, licking his way down to where her shoulder and neck met, allowing him to sink his teeth into her, marking her as his for everyone to know._ A throat being loudly cleared brought him back to reality.

Ava was staring at him with her eyebrows raised and a smile playing about her lips as she held the lollipop away from her mouth. He couldn't help but notice the perfect blush that was spread across her cheeks, seeming to slowly spread over the rest of her face, and down to her neck and chest.

She cleared her throat once more. "Remus," she whispered. "You're staring."

His eyes flashed up to hers, realizing that he had made her uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, feeling his own cheeks burn in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Ava. That was completely inappropriate of me."

To his surprise, her expression turned thoughtful as she tilted her head. Still maintaining eye contact, she asked, "Why are you apologizing for being attracted to me?"

He blanched. _Oh Godric. I didn't realize I had been that obvious_. "Well, I—I. Uh, you see—" He stopped speaking as Ava took a step closer to him, invading his senses with her wondrous scent.

"Remus," she began softly. "Please don't ever feel bad for liking what you see." Her eyes roved over his face and she bit her lip.

His heart was pounding as if it would beat right out of his chest. He moved closer to Ava and his hands slowly crept up, intent on cupping her face.

"Oi, Ava! Remus!"

Startled, Ava pulled away and put some distance between them. He looked towards the shout and saw the other three Marauders and Lily coming their way, and let out a low growl. Feeling a smack on his arm, he turned to see that Ava had her arm cocked, ready to hit him again. _Huh_, he thought. _Maybe she'll feel more comfortable with me sooner than I thought_. Other than James, Sirius, and Peter, no one had ever picked up on his wolfy vocalizations. He couldn't have stopped the grin from forming on his face, even if he wanted to. The elation that Remus felt at someone accepting him for who he is was too much to contain. Without thinking, he reached out and jerked Ava towards him, wrapping her up in a hug. He shuddered in delight, feeling their magic racing along their bodies, brushing up against each other.

"Remus," Ava said, sounding out of breath.

Pulling back from her in concern, he looked down to see her pupils blown wide and her chest rising and falling rapidly. She licked her lips, and inched towards him, causing him to step back in alarm. He knew she wouldn't be pleased making a scene in front of everyone, especially if her magic was persuading her a little, like he felt his do sometimes in her presence.

The arrival of their friends seemed to shake Ava from her daze. She put on a smile for them and described the mountains of candy and fudge that she bought, promising to share some. At the mention of free chocolate, Remus and Moony both perked up and found Ava looking at him with a knowing smile. _Geez_, he thought. _I guess I must've been obvious about that too._

They made their way over to Zonko's, where they were supposed to meet up with the rest of the seventh-year Gryffindors before heading back to the castle. On the walk over to the joke shop, Remus kept close to Ava, wanting to make it clear that he wasn't going anywhere. Hearing soft intakes of breath, as though Ava was about to speak, several times, Remus finally asked, "Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

She huffed. "Well, I was just wondering if Madame Pomfrey had spoken to you about something that I had mentioned to her earlier this week."

"What was it?" he asked, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible, while bursting with desire to know more about her predicament.

"There's a Muggle medicine that I think might help you," she blurted.

Remus felt his hopes drop. "Oh, okay."

She lowered her voice, leaning closer to him as they followed their friends through the village. "There's an ointment that might help your scars heal."

His eyebrows shot up in a show of surprise. Of course, he had heard that part of her conversation in the Hospital Wing, but he wasn't about to admit that.

Ava suddenly paled and began to speak rapidly, "I'm sorry! I mean, not that your scars _need_ to be healed, or anything. I think they're just fine. Well, 'just fine' doesn't sound much better does it? I'm sorry. I don't think you need to hide them, I just figured—Well, you might like to see if they would go away with Muggle medicine. Not that I think you need them to go away. If anything, I'd say you don't need to get rid of them at all. They make you look handsome. In a rugged, sort of way." Her eyes widened as her face flushed. She looked away from him. "I don't know! Forget about it," she added before hastily walking ahead of him.

"Wait!" Remus quickly jumped at Ava, grasping her hand to keep her from storming off in embarrassment.

She didn't pull her hand from his, but she was staring resolutely at the ground, seemingly afraid that she had offended him.

Checking to make sure their friends hadn't noticed, Remus tugged her to a stop and slowly reached out under Ava's chin and lifted her head. "Hey, you didn't hurt my feelings or whatever you think you've done. I appreciate that you thought about me. I like that. I also like that you were brave enough to say it to my face. Don't ever be afraid to tell me something, okay?"

Ava's body seemed to crumple, and he could've sworn that guilt flashed across her face for a split second. "Okay," she murmured.

"Besides, it's not every day a beautiful witch calls me ruggedly handsome," he said with a smile.

She blushed once more and let out an annoyed huff. "We need to catch up to everyone else."

"Alright. Let's go," he said, pulling her along by the hand. Remus deliberately continued to hold onto Ava's hand, refusing to let go unless she wanted to. And until that time, he wanted to relish the feeling of her small hand in his, and the way their magic sought each other out, mingling and intertwining.

* * *

Ava's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. _I can't believe I'm holding hands with Remus_, she squealed internally, following her friends into Zonko's.

Once inside the joke shop, Remus kept his warm hand wrapped around hers and gave her a tour of the Marauders' favorite products. Ava rolled her eyes at most, but there were a few that seemed fairly interesting. She couldn't help but compare everything she saw to what she knew the Weasley twins would create some day. After a moment, she recalled that they were only able to open their shop using Harry's winnings from the Triwizard Tournament, but she had no intentions of letting that idiotic competition drag Harry Potter into danger. _Maybe Fred and George should receive an anonymous donation before graduating_, she thought, hoping that she'd still be alive then.

Remus squeezed Ava's hand, keeping her thoughts from falling down the dark tunnel of "What ifs" that she always tried desperately to avoid. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked with a slight frown.

She forced a smile onto her face. "Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'll go wait outside until everyone's done. It's a little crowded in here." It may have been an excuse, but it was at least true. It felt like every student had decided to shop at Zonko's right when they showed up.

He didn't look pleased, but he released her hand. "I'll be out right after you. I'm going to find James or someone and let them know we'll be outside."

"Thanks, Remus."

He nodded and turned from her, getting swept up in the crowd of customers.

Pushing her way to the front of the store, apologizing profusely as she squeezed between people, Ava felt like she could truly breathe again once she stepped outside. Letting out a relieved sigh, she tucked her hands into her jacket and moved to the side of the entrance. She had barely any time to get lost in her thoughts once more before she heard someone drawl, "Hello, Miss McGonagall."

Ava turned her gaze towards the voice and found Lucius Malfoy standing a few feet away from her, along with some of his Death Eater buddies. "Gentlemen," she replied with a nod of her head. Though she knew the true allegiance of these men, they hadn't given her reason to act hostile towards them as of yet. Plus, she was hoping to convert some of the Dark Lord's followers and it wouldn't be wise for her to be rude to them.

Malfoy gave Ava what she thought to be a false smile. "How are you enjoying your first time in Hogsmeade?"

"It's amazing," she said, probably showing too much enthusiasm if the Slytherins' startled faces were anything to go by.

"Better than any Muggle community, I'm sure," Avery said with a snort.

She hesitated with her response, not wanting to unnecessarily alienate a future ally. Ava studied their reactions as she said, "I suppose, but since Muggles don't have magic, they have to compensate for that, and they've been able to invent some rather useful things."

Avery and McNair were turning red in anger, while Malfoy and Nott sneered at her implication that Muggles had at least a modicum of intelligence.

Behind the group of Death Eaters in front of her, Ava could see Severus and Regulus approaching. Feeling emboldened by her friends' presence, she took a risk and chuckled lightly. "C'mon, you can't tell me that you don't find telephones or roller coasters fascinating."

"What are you on about?" McNair asked, taking a step forward and pointing his finger at Ava's face. "Are you saying Muggles are just as powerful as wizards?"

She could hear Malfoy whispering harshly, calling McNair's name, which the angry wizard seemed intent on ignoring. Trying to diffuse the situation, she raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, Muggles may be _magically_ inferior to wizards, but that doesn't mean they lack intellect or the ability to think creatively."

All of the Slytherins, including Regulus and Severus, who were now standing with the others, had various looks of bewilderment upon their faces.

Ava had to keep herself from laughing. Her wording probably confused them—calling Muggles inferior but then defending them in the same sentence. With the exception of Severus and Regulus, and possibly Malfoy, it appeared that the Slytherins' might just explode from trying to wrap their heads around her comment. Avery and Nott kept opening and closing their mouths, as if they weren't sure what to say, and McNair was still red-faced but looked confused more than anything.

"Oi! Get away from her!"

Ava rolled her eyes. _Great, Sirius to the rescue._

"Back off, you slimy snakes!"

She sighed. _And there's James_. Without fail, she was surrounded by Gryffindors within seconds. Someone grabbed her hand tightly, and she didn't need to look to know it was Remus. She could feel her magic fluttering in delight, reveling in their skin touching.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a low voice, nearly growling.

Frowning, she glanced up at him. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Why don't you lot crawl back to your dungeon and leave her alone?" Sirius yelled.

Ava cleared her throat, taking a step in front of the Gryffindors, turning her backs on the Slytherins. "We were merely engaging in a lively debate, that's all," she told her friends, eyeing the wands already drawn in James' and Sirius' hands. She faltered a little when she spotted Remus holding his wand as well. "Isn't that right gentlemen?" she asked with a smile, turning to the Slytherins.

Thankfully, one of them had some active brain cells, and Malfoy spoke up. "Miss McGonagall is right. We were only having a friendly discussion, but now we must be on our way."

Severus and Regulus had kept silent the entire time, but made eye contact with Ava now. Severus had his lips pressed together and gave her a look that she knew well. She sighed, knowing that he would lecture her later on her behavior. Regulus, however, was smirking at her and nodded before turning to follow Malfoy back towards the castle.

McNair seemed rooted to the spot, debating whether or not he wanted to retreat like the others. Thankfully, Nott and Avery pulled on his arm and shoulder, herding him in the direction of the path back to the castle. However, before he fully turned to follow his friends, McNair sneered in their direction. "Filthy blood traitors!" he snarled.

Sirius and Ava both shouted back in anger at the same time.

"Shut up, you bloody tosser!"

"For being a supposed _Pureblood_ gentleman, you're certainly lacking your manners, McNair!"

Hearing a commotion behind her, Ava swiveled back to her friends and realized that Lily was busy reprimanding her and Sirius for stooping down to the Slytherins' level, while James and Peter were defending their actions, claiming it was important to "put those assholes in their place." Alice and Frank were silent, but seemed to be siding with Lily. Mary and Marlene appeared scandalized, whispering to each other and peering around the group to make sure no one else witnessed the exchange between the Gryffindors and Slytherins.

Remus was the one she was really looking for though. Ava was surprised that he wasn't already standing with her. Taking in his stony expression and fists clenched at his sides, she hesitantly called, "Remus?"

His gaze narrowed in on Ava, and he took the few steps forward to stand toe to toe with her. His jaw was clearly clenched in anger, and he had yet to speak.

"Remus?" she asked softly, slowly reaching out for his hand.

He pulled away, as if he had been burned. "Don't," he said in a low voice.

Ava frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I can't believe you did that."

"What? Yelled at McNair?" She scoffed. "It's fine, he's—"

"Dangerous. He's _dangerous_, Ava." He glared at her with eyes that flickered between green and amber. "You cannot—you _will not_ put yourself in that position again. Do you understand me?"

"_Excuse me_?" she asked with her eyebrows raised, taking a couple steps back from him and crossing her arms.

"You heard me clearly, Ava. Don't put yourself in danger again. Tell me you won't," he said firmly.

It didn't matter that Moony might've been affecting Remus's actions or words. All Ava could see was someone trying to control her, with no good reason.

The others had noticed the tension between them, and Sirius slowly walked over. "Moony, it's fine. She's not hurt," he said, gesturing towards Ava.

Ava could feel her anger dissipating at the realization that Remus and Moony were scared for her and worried about her safety, but it came flooding back like a tidal wave at Remus's next comment.

"This doesn't concern you Sirius, she's _mine_," Remus snapped, piercing his friend with an amber glare. He turned back to Ava and took a step towards her. "You will not put yourself in danger, and that is final."

Ava's mouth dropped open, shocked at the sheer possessiveness that he was displaying. _Who does this werewolf think he is?_ After a moment she collected herself. "Absolutely not, Remus Lupin." He started to growl, and she stomped her foot while pointing a finger at him threateningly. "No! You listen to me. I'll do whatever I please, as you are currently not in a position to be making demands of me, and until then, you can suck it up and deal with it." Knowing she couldn't escape dangerous situations in the future just because he might ask her, she added, "_Life_ is dangerous, get used to it." As the last word left her lips, she turned on her heel and sprinted down the path heading back to Hogwarts.

Tears streamed down Ava's face as she ran, hopping over rocks and tree roots. After a couple minutes, she took a blurry glance over her shoulder, and slowed to a walk since no one was following her. She wiped her nose and eyes, nearing the castle. Her magic protested at the fact that she consciously chose to leave her soulmate, but her heart ached from the nagging thoughts of the future. Of course, she was going to be in dangerous situations. Her mere existence was perilous. _This isn't going to work_, she lamented. Ava squeezed her eyes shut and let out a frustrated scream. _No, no, no, no. I'm not letting this become a problem too_, she thought with a massive sigh. _I'll talk with him, and he'll understand. But maybe he won't. Maybe he won't want to be with me if I'm constantly in danger. No, that's stupid. But I'll have to tell him the whole truth for him to really understand._ Ava gulped, knowing that wouldn't be a fun conversation.

She ran through various scenarios in her head of how to tell Remus as she walked through the gates and entered the castle. Each one seemed more ridiculous than the last. Vowing to continue thinking on it later, Ava shook her head and grabbed her schoolbag from her quarters. She climbed up to the seventh floor and sought refuge in the Room of Requirement, hoping to get at least some of her homework finished before dinner. Once inside the Room, Ava realized that it had created a dueling course for her, erecting targets and dummies along the back wall.

She huffed out a laugh. "Thank you," she said aloud.

Unleashing her anger and anxiety on the inanimate objects seemed to help Ava settle her emotions and about twenty minutes later, sweaty and out of breath, she finally sat down to complete her class assignments. When dinner time rolled around, Ava chose to stay in the Room and eat alone, not feeling up for seeing Remus or her friends right now. _God only knows what they think about our shouting match_, she thought. After finishing her meal, Ava realized it was nearly time for Severus to meet her for dueling and Occlumency practice anyhow, so she stayed put and continued working on her homework.

When the door to the Room banged open, she startled, standing and drawing her wand, before seeing that it was only Severus. His face was set in determination and as he opened his mouth, most likely to scold her, Ava held up her hand while resuming her seat. "I'm _really_ not in the mood for it, Severus. I had a fight with Remus right after you guys left, so I don't need someone else telling me how reckless my behavior might've been or how I shouldn't be putting myself in danger."

He closed his mouth and approached her silently. Once standing near the table, he shifted on his feet uncomfortably and quietly asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ava looked at him in surprise. "You _want_ to talk about my boy problems?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not particularly. But I suppose that's what friends do." He pulled out the chair next to Ava and sat down.

She flashed him a quick smile before repeating her argument with Remus and then explaining why his behavior worried her so much. When she finished, she sighed and asked, "Do you have any advice?"

The Slytherin's eyes bugged out. "Me?" He shook his head. "No, Ava. This is all you."

She huffed. "But what do you think? Am I being crazy? Is Remus right?"

Almost a minute passed before he spoke. "I think both sides have merit."

Ava chuckled. "Oh, yeah?"

He sat up straight in his seat and explained, "Of course, there will be times when you are unable to escape a dangerous situation. However, you should not run head-first into unknown situations, which is exactly what you would've been doing had McNair decided to retaliate."

Ava sighed. "Alright, alright. I get it, I guess. I mean, all I did was yell back at him after he insulted us."

Severus closed his eyes and tilted his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is precisely why you're a Gryffindor, Ava."

"Well, excuse me."

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "It's a precarious thing, insulting one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. You must tread lightly around them and try not to draw any unnecessary attention towards yourself."

"I know. I really do. Their attitude just gets on my nerves, you know?"

He raised one brow.

She reached out and patted his hand. "I'm sorry, Severus. Of course you know. Do they make a big deal out of you being a half-blood?"

"Occasionally. It used to be worse, but I seemed to have proven my worth over the last couple of years."

Ava thought for a few moments. "Speaking of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, I think we should start bringing Regulus into the fold."

"You're sure?"

She nodded. "We'll start small. He's already tutoring me, but let's invite him to our study group. Then we can ask if he wants to join us practicing here." She gestured to the dueling section of the Room. "Ask him if he wants to study with us tomorrow in the library."

Severus nodded.

After a minute of collecting their thoughts, the pair began dueling and then training Ava further in Occlumency. Seeing how exhausted Ava was after a couple of hours, Severus suggested they turn in for the night, and escorted her back to her quarters before going to bed himself.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Getting to the juicy bits ;D (Just a little though, no full blown lemons yet)
> 
> Thank you SO much for all of the kudos and comments!
> 
> I love seeing what you guys think! :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

** Chapter 27 **

Breakfast the next morning was the most tense meal that Remus had experienced thus far in his seventeen years. The conversation amongst the group seemed forced, everyone walking on egg shells, not sure how to handle themselves after the shouting match between himself and Ava the day before. The Gryffindors were sitting in their usual spots, meaning that Ava was now directly across from him, pretending as though he didn't exist. She didn't even look up at him, not once, and he knew that for a fact because he had been watching her every move since the moment she appeared at the table. He was desperate to drink her in. After Ava stormed away from him yesterday, Remus felt an intense pain in his chest and immediately longed for her company. Sirius and Lily convinced him to give Ava some space so he didn't go after her, regardless of how much Moony begged and threatened.

Taking in his mate's clenched jaw and stony expression, he now wished that he had spoken to her sooner. When Ava had first sat down, he greeted her with a friendly tone, but it was clear that she hadn't forgiven him for his behavior since she pretended to not hear him. Remus knew that he acted possessive and boorish, but there was also a part of him that knew he was right. And that part of him wasn't willing to relent. He was surprised when he felt Moony rumble a noise of agreement. Neither of them wanted Ava to act recklessly and put herself in a dangerous position. He sighed internally. _I did kind of flip out on her though, and she's a very stubborn witch. Of course she wasn't going to back down when I started yelling at her. We aren't even officially dating_. That thought prompted his magic to surge and prod him into movement, as though he could ask Ava to be his girlfriend right then. _I know, I know_, he grumbled mentally, after Moony growled at him to claim their mate as well.

Remus wasn't sure how long he could let this silent treatment go on for. Regardless of Moony and his magic persuading him to be with Ava, Remus wanted her for himself anyway. After experiencing how their magic caressed each other the day before and being in her presence induced a joyful, pleasant feeling to settle within himself, Remus wasn't willing to let her go so easily. However, it seemed he would need to wait a little longer because Ava suddenly stood from the table and strode out of the Great Hall without a backwards glance.

He let out a heavy sigh, drawing the attention of his friends.

"That was rough mate," James said with a sympathetic look.

Lily reached out and pat his hand. "Maybe let her cool off a little bit more? I'm sure she'll come around."

Remus felt himself nodding, even though he wasn't entirely sure he agreed.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. If she's stupid enough to get into fights with the Slytherins, let her," Peter said with a shrug before taking a bite of his breakfast.

He glared at the boy, eyes flashing amber.

Peter gulped. "Sorry, Moony. I didn't mean it," he mumbled around his food.

Remus took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself and his wolf. _We just need to talk to her and straighten everything out._

* * *

Ava barreled through the library doors, startling Madame Pince. She winced and muttered a quick apology before walking to her usual study table to meet up with Severus and Regulus. Her magic was roiling in agitation at the blatant dismissal of her soulmate. As she departed the Great Hall, Ava could feel her magic attempting to push her back towards Remus, but she ignored it and grimaced through the pain, storming out of the dining hall even faster. _That possessive cave man needs to apologize to me first_, she mentally stated to her magic.

She plopped down at the table and took out her assignments, patiently waiting for the Slytherins to join her. Not a minute later, they appeared from within the shelves of books and took their seats.

"Hey, guys," she muttered distractedly, still organizing her schoolwork and supplies.

"Hello, Ava," both wizards replied while doing the same.

For some time, they worked in companionable silence, with Ava occasionally asking either Severus or Regulus for assistance. She was nearly finished with third-year Defense, fourth-year Charms, and second-year Transfiguration, so that's what she decided to focus on first. Since telling her aunt, Mrs. Potter, and Madame Pomfrey that she'd cut back on performing magic so much, she had, but just when it came to practicing in class. She was told to only perform magic in class, but Ava couldn't wrap her head around the idea of not practicing dueling or Occlumency with Severus. So, once she mastered a spell three times in class and performed it for the teacher, she stopped, opting to study theory instead. Granted, that had slowed down her progression though the material a bit, but since the workload was increasing anyway, she now had more time for studying and more magical strength when it came to dueling. _Which is definitely necessary_, she thought with a faint smile, recalling how Severus had complimented her during their last practice. He had commented that her movement and reaction time was getting better, and that she was definitely ready for the third-year Defense exam once she finished the theoretical portion of the curriculum.

She was startled from her thoughts when someone cleared their throat and said, "Regulus."

Glancing up from her textbook, Ava saw a younger student standing near their table. Looking him over, she saw that he was a Slytherin, and while his expression remained blank, his shifting feet gave away his nervousness.

"Oh, hey, Barty," Regulus said with a small smile. "You can come here you know, you don't need to keep your distance. We're not so formal here."

_Barty?_ Ava thought with wide eyes, flicking back and forth between the Slytherins.

Severus raised a curious brow at her reaction, but remained silent.

Barty eyed Ava warily and slowly crossed the few steps to their table, standing near Regulus.

"So, what do you need, Barty?" Regulus asked in a friendly tone.

The boy ran a hand through his brown hair, and cast a quick glance at Severus and Ava before turning back to Regulus. "I'm stuck on a part of my Charms essay, and I'd like some help, if you don't mind."

"Of course, I don't mind. I've told you plenty of times that you can ask me whenever you need something," Regulus said while shifting some of his parchments and books so that Barty would have a clear space to work across from Ava.

He locked eyes with her and gulped.

_Why is he acting so weird? I've never done anything to him_, she thought before throwing him a friendly smile.

His shoulders seemed to relax and he settled into his seat. After explaining his assignment to Regulus, which Ava couldn't help but overhear, she learned that Barty was currently a third-year.

"You know, Ava's actually in fourth year Charms. The third-year material is probably fresher in her mind than in mine," she heard Regulus say before looking up from her own essay. "Ava, you wouldn't mind helping out Barty, would you?"

She rose her brows in surprise and cast her gaze to the younger wizard. He still appeared fidgety and nervous, and Ava couldn't puzzle out why. But, she didn't mind helping him with homework. Just as the boy opened his mouth, probably to protest, she spoke up. "Of course, I'll help. I don't mind at all," she told them with a smile.

Barty's eyes widened slightly before he ducked his head. "Are you sure?" he asked softly.

She frowned and looked to Regulus. His expression was unreadable, but he nodded at her. Turning her gaze back to the younger Slytherin, she said, "Barty, if I didn't want to help you, I would've just said so."

His head whipped up and his mouth was open in a surprised "O."

"Now, let's see what we're working with," she said, reaching out for his parchment. When their fingers brushed, he snapped back his hand. She chose to ignore his squirrelly behavior and read over his essay as Severus and Regulus returned to their work. A few minutes later, she gave him feedback, making sure to include both strengths and weaknesses of his work, and then offered to show him the books that would be useful to cite.

Barty stammered out a response about finding the books on his own, but Ava waved him off.

"Nonsense," she said, standing from her seat. "C'mon, I'll just show you. I was only using these books a week or so ago anyway."

Barty hesitated in his seat and swallowed. Regulus gave a nod when the boy sought him out. Barty seemed to nod to himself and then stood. "After you," he told Ava, gesturing towards the bookshelves.

Ava assumed by "Barty", that this thirteen-year-old was Barty Crouch Jr. Knowing about his future self, made her reluctant to put her back towards him, but she had to remind herself that he was merely a student and likely wouldn't try anything with Severus and Regulus around. _Unless he thought they would agree with his treatment of a blood traitor_. Ava kept glancing over her shoulder as she lead Barty through the stacks, pulling out three books once she located them. She began to walk back to their table, holding the books while she explained what each one could be used for in his essay, but he cut her off.

"Miss McGonagall, I can take the books. It's only fair after you've helped me," he told Ava, eyes flicking from hers to just over her shoulder and back several times.

"Oh, sure. Thank you." She handed over the tomes to him, noticing that while he didn't jerk away from their fingers touching, he couldn't hide his flinch.

Barty turned and stalked towards their table without a word, leaving Ava frowning after him.

Returning to her seat, Ava could see that Barty already found the section in the first book that he should use to help support his essay. Satisfied that he would ask for help if he needed it, she returned to working on her own assignments and only paused a while later when she heard Barty clear his throat. She glanced up with her brows raised. "Finished?" she asked.

He nodded and seemed to want to hand her the parchment, but hadn't yet. His gaze met hers for a moment before he looked away.

"Do you want me to look it over?" she offered, reaching out a hand.

"Yes, please." He finally held out the essay.

Ava's eyes quickly scanned over his work, and realized that after giving him a few more resources, he had made connections between the theories of several Charms that she hadn't considered, but they made total sense. Professor Flitwick hadn't even discussed those in class. Barty even made reference to a fourth-year Charm that she recognized. She looked up at him with a wide smile. "This is fantastic."

His eyebrows disappeared into the brown fringe that hung over his forehead. "Really?" he asked with a look of disbelief. He cast a quick glance at Regulus out of the corner of his eye.

She nodded. "Yeah, you've made some observations that I think would impress Flitwick and you managed to throw in some more advanced Charms theory than he would expect too."

A slow smile transformed Barty's face. It wasn't anything like the maniacal grin that she associated with Barty Crouch Jr., the Death Eater, but one of a boy who was proud of what he had accomplished.

She handed him back the essay and jokingly said, "If you don't earn full points plus some extra, I'll speak to Flitwick myself," trying to boost Barty's self-esteem.

The boy's eyes widened as he began to pack up his stuff. "Wha—what? No, no. You wouldn't need to do that," he said, clearly taking her comment seriously. "You've already helped me plenty. You wouldn't need to go out of your way to do that for me. Besides, if I don't get full points, I wouldn't blame you. It's probably just because I don't deserve them." He voice had trailed off as he said the last sentence, and rubbed Ava the wrong way.

Narrowing her eyes at Barty as he ducked his head, continuing to pack up his bag, she realized something. "Barty," she called softly. He glanced up at her before lowering his eyes to the table. "You deserve those points. Whoever told you that you don't deserve acknowledgment for your thoughts and hard work is wrong." His gaze whipped up to hers, startled. "It's true, and I will be speaking to Professor Flitwick if he says anything to the contrary. I expect to see your graded essay once it's returned to you."

His mouth was hanging open as he shared a baffled look with Severus and Regulus. The older Slytherins merely raised their brows in reply. "And—and what do you expect in return?"

Ava scrunched up her nose in confusion, furrowing her brows. "In return for what?"

"For speaking to Flitwick on my behalf."

Ava could feel herself softening towards Barty. She had so many questions for Regulus, but they would have to wait. She smiled at the young boy. "Nothing, Barty. I don't expect you to reciprocate in any sort of way." He grimaced, seemingly uncomfortable with her explanation. "If it makes you feel any better, think about it this way. If Flitwick doesn't give you extra credit on the essay, it reflects poorly on myself as a tutor. So, of course, I'd like you to do well."

Barty frowned for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay," he said, hesitantly, once again glancing at Regulus out of the corner of his eye. He finished gathering his belongings and then gave stiff goodbyes before leaving.

Once Ava thought it had been long enough for Barty to have put some distance between himself and their table, she whipped out her wand and cast _Muffliato_. She pointed a finger at Regulus and said, "Explain."

He sighed and looked to Severus, almost as if seeking his permission.

Severus scoffed. "If you didn't trust Ava with the truth, I doubt you would've suggested Barty work with her."

Regulus nodded and shifted his attention back to Ava. "I don't know for certain, because he won't wholly open up to me, but I think Barty is mistreated at home." She nodded and waited for him to continue. "I know that he's afraid of his father and he's always been a little fidgety, but over the last year or so, it's gotten worse."

"He doesn't like to be touched, and he won't maintain eye contact for very long," she said, leaning forward in her seat. "Someone has him doubting his intelligence too." _Perfectly susceptible to the manipulations of the Dark Lord, if Barty goes looking for affection and praise elsewhere._

Regulus nodded.

The trio sat in silence for a moment before Ava spoke. "You should invite him to work with us more if he'd like to."

Regulus smiled while Severus sent her a mock glare. "Why am I not surprised?" he drawled.

She bumped his shoulder gently. "C'mon, Severus. I know you love being my friend, but I've got to spread the wealth a bit."

Regulus chuckled and shook his head at Ava. "It is rather surprising how much Severus tolerates you."

"Indeed," the wizard in question said.

Ava scoffed and flipped her braid over her shoulder. "As if he would abandon me. He's my best friend, I'll have you know." Ava hadn't realized what she had said until it was out of her mouth. Her whole body tensed, not sure how Severus would react. She looked at Regulus, who merely had his brows raised in surprise, and then risked a glance at Severus.

His mouth was hanging slightly open and his dark eyes roved over her face, scrutinizing her.

For a split second, Ava thought about trying to take it back, not wanting to make Severus uncomfortable. _Fuck it_, she thought. _He _is _my best friend._ She made sure to maintain eye contact with him when she said, "You are my best friend, Severus."

He did nothing more than gape at her, causing her to squirm anxiously in her seat.

She sighed and looked down. "I mean, it's okay if you don't feel the same way. I guess we don't need to hang out as much—" She stopped, startled by a hand grasping hers. Ava looked up to see that Severus was squeezing her hand.

"I said no such thing, Ava," he said lowly, before glancing at Regulus.

Ava looked at the other wizard as well and had to keep herself from laughing. He was deliberately flipping through a textbook that he had already read, facing away from them, trying to give them some semblance of privacy.

"I find myself wanting to reassure you that I enjoy your friendship," Severus continued. "I'm pleased with the current rate of our…camaraderie."

Ava had to keep her smile in check. "I am as well."

He nodded as he retracted his hand from hers. "Then we have nothing further to discuss. Friends?"

She beamed at him, unable to hold back her happiness. "_Best_ friends."

The corners of his mouth twitched. He looked to Regulus out of the corner of his eyes to see that the other wizard was still pretending as though they didn't exist. Severus looked back to her and nodded firmly, then mouthed "best" to her.

It was a miracle that Ava was able to control the squeal of excitement that wanted to burst from her, but she knew that Severus would most definitely not appreciate it. She also managed to wrangle her enthusiasm in so that she wouldn't launch herself at the Slytherin for a big hug.

Regulus must've sensed their conversation dying off since he looked up from the book. Turning back to Severus and Ava, he said, "Are two ready to go to lunch?"

With noises of agreement, all three of them began to pack up their belongings. Being the first one ready, Regulus offered to return the couple of library books remaining on their table. Once he was out of earshot, Ava leaned over to Severus and said, "I want to ask him if he'll join us in the Room of Requirement after lunch. I think it's time I told him the truth."

Severus's eyebrows disappeared. "Are you sure about that?"

"He knows Occlumency, right?"

He nodded slowly.

"Then, yes, I'm sure."

Regulus returned just as Ava and Severus were ready to depart for the Great Hall. The three of them walked to lunch, discussing their classes, and Ava casually threw out the idea that Regulus join her and Severus after lunch for some practice dueling. He immediately agreed, telling them it sounded like fun. She neglected to mention that Severus would lead him to a secret room or that she was preparing to drop a bombshell on him. _He'll be fine_, she assured herself. _This is the same kid who plotted against Voldemort on his own._

At the entrance to the massive dining hall, they parted ways with the agreement to regroup after the meal. Ava sat down, not really paying attention to the tense silence of the group of Gryffindors. After filling up her plate, she noticed the hushed discussions and took a look around the table. Everyone was staring at her with various levels of disbelief and concern.

She leaned towards Sirius and whispered, "What's going on?"

"It's _possible_ that everyone, especially Remus, noticed you walking in with Snape and Reggie."

Her eyebrows rose as her mouth opened slightly. Ignoring the pull of her magic to glance at Remus, she rotated her gaze between James, Lily, Alice, and Frank while she said, "They're my friends, not some evil scum of the earth or whatever else you're thinking of. We study together all the time and nothing bad ever happens, so you all can just relax." Without waiting for a response, she started eating her meal quickly, hoping to escape the onslaught of arguments that were likely coming her way.

"I know you might just be trying to make friends, Ava, since you're new and all, but those really aren't the wizards you want to be hanging out with. No offense, Sirius," Frank told her with his brows furrowed.

Sirius waved him off. "I get it, mate."

Ava sighed. "Severus and Regulus might be in Slytherin, but that doesn't automatically make them dark wizards." She elbowed Sirius. "C'mon, tell them about Severus."

His gray eyes widened and flitted from friend to friend before landing back on Ava.

She narrowed her eyes.

He gulped. "Uh, yeah. Snape's still a git and all, but he's not the absolute worst," he blurted out before stuffing a bite of food into his mouth, directing his attention elsewhere in the Great Hall.

Ava turned to the rest, still not risking a glance at Remus. "See? Maybe you guys just need to be more open-minded and willing to spend time with some students in Slytherin. Not all of them are bad." She continued to scarf down her lunch while watching her friends flounder for an effective response. James and Lily seemed perfectly content to mind their own business, thankfully. But Mary and Alice looked terrified at the prospect of befriending someone in the house of snakes. Marlene and Frank's faces were reddening, likely in anger, so Ava rapidly packed up the remainder of her lunch into a cloth napkin.

She was hoping to avoid a confrontation with anyone, but it didn't look like her wish was going to come true. Just as she was standing from her seat, Remus spoke up.

"It has less to do with being open-minded, and more to do with you being naive and ignorant." His tone was harsh, reminiscent of their argument in Hogsmeade.

Ava bit the inside of her cheek to refrain from responding. Unwilling to rise to the bait, she simply scooped up her schoolbag from the floor and raced towards the door, clutching her unfinished lunch in her hands.

_Stupid boys and their stupid rivalries_, she thought as she slowly made her way to the Room of Requirement. Since she bolted from the dining hall mere minutes after lunch had started, Ava knew it would be a while until Severus and Regulus were ready to join her. _Stupid werewolf, really_. While the witch knew that Remus was acting irrational about her interactions with Slytherins, she was also aware that he couldn't necessarily control his reactions. _Especially because I'm his mate_, she thought with an eye roll. While climbing the staircases, Ava considered how Remus might react to the truth about her arrival and their connection as soulmates. She hoped that explaining the truth would help him see her reasoning behind hanging out with certain Slytherins, but she was also afraid that the truth might just reaffirm his worries. If Remus knew the true danger she faced simply because of her knowledge of the future, he might never let her out of his sight ever again. Regardless of the role that Severus and Regulus played in the time line, they were her friends now. _I guess Barty Crouch Jr. is too now_, she realized slowly. _Hmm, didn't see that one coming._

Once Ava paced in front of the Room and entered the requested setting, she plopped herself into a comfy chair in front of the fireplace to finish her lunch. Eventually, she decided that Remus both deserved and needed to hear the truth if they were to have any sort of positive relationship moving forward. _Even if it doesn't stop his whole alpha male thing._ At the notion of explaining everything to the werewolf, Ava's stomach was filled with a swarm of butterflies. It felt more daunting than when she told McGonagall and the boys the truth. She felt less sure of herself than when she first made moves to befriend Severus. _This is going to be awful_, she lamented, chewing on her bite of apple with a frown. _Maybe I can ease him into it somehow. Butter him up._ Ava spent the next half hour finishing her meal and plotting how to progress her relationship with Remus to the point where he would most likely be able to handle the truth from her.

* * *

Hearing Severus's chuckle from the sideline caused Ava to snap, "Shut up, you tool!" as she dodged another hex from Regulus.

"I'm sorry, Ava," he said between laughs, clearly not truly sorry. "You just look rather ridiculous, twirling and flouncing about."

She cast _Protego_ and replied, "I don't flounce, _you_ flounce."

"I beg your pardon?" he asked.

Ava smiled. Without looking at Severus, she could picture the stern expression he was sending her way, with one eyebrow cocked. She shook herself to refocus on her dueling partner. Regulus was a force to be reckoned with. She didn't know if it was because he played Quidditch or came from a notoriously dark family, but the kid was quick as hell and relentless. He pelted her with spell after spell, sending jets of light to blast and fizzle against her shield. Ava stood her ground, continuously casting _Protego_, not sure how to take down her opponent. Thinking quickly, she knew she'd have to take him by surprise. A grin stretched across her face as she recalled the plan that Severus had previously thwarted. _Being a Pureblood, Regulus probably won't even think about a physical attack coming._ Not wanting to waste another moment, Ava charged towards him. The fire of his spells increased as she gained ground, but she was quick enough now to shield herself from each spell flying in her direction. Within seconds, she was close enough to see his eyes widen, in either surprise or fear, but she liked to think it was the latter.

"What the hell?" Regulus managed to squeak out as Ava landed her fist in his gut. The wizard doubled over, letting out a groan.

Ava reached out and snatched his wand, which was hanging loosely from his hand braced on his knee as he tried to catch his breath. "Ha!" she exclaimed, holding up his wand triumphantly for Severus to see.

The older Slytherin smirked at her. "Alright there, Regulus?" he called.

"Just fine." He stood up straight and looked at Ava with narrowed eyes. "You play dirty, witch." He held out his hand, and she returned his wand.

She giggled before turning to Severus. She waggled her eyebrows, hoping he'd catch onto her intention. Looking back at Regulus she nonchalantly said, "I'm probably going to need to if I have any chance of facing Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Regulus sucked in a breath and paled. He glanced at Severus before looking back at Ava, his mouth opening and closing, unable to form words.

Severus sighed, drawing her attention. "You utter Gryffindor. Couldn't ease him into it, could you? Just had to go and blurt it out," he scolded her.

Ava crossed her arms. "Well, excuse me." She returned her gaze to Regulus. "I'm sorry if that wasn't very tactful of me."

He merely nodded.

"Perhaps we should sit down," Severus said, gesturing towards the chairs and fireplace to the side of the dueling mat.

The trio took their seats, and Ava's nerves finally made their appearance. She wrung her hands and her eyes kept flicking between the two Slytherins.

Severus cleared his throat and nodded to her.

"Right. Well, first of all. Whether you've already taken your Mark or not doesn't matter to me, Regulus. I'll still be your friend and I won't judge you for it. I know you were likely forced into it."

He silently pulled back his left sleeve to reveal a pale, spotless forearm.

She let out a relieved breath. "That's good. Can you tell me if and when you're supposed to get your Mark?"

His brows furrowed. In a low voice, he said, "Why are you asking me these questions, Ava?" He looked to Severus. "Did she ask you the same thing?"

The older Slytherin nodded. "Yes, and I told her the truth. I'll let Ava tell her story, but know that she is the most trustworthy person I know. She has some insight into the Dark Lord's plans, and she'll need our assistance if we are to stop the worst from happening." He paused. "You cannot deny that some of the others are more…intense and devote when it comes to the Dark Lord's ideology."

Regulus clenched his jaw before he nodded. He turned to Ava. "How do you have that kind of information?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"I'll tell you everything, but I need a Wizard's Oath from you first." She braced herself for his reaction.

He looked to Severus once again, who nodded at the younger wizard. Regulus pressed his lips together for a moment before drawing his wand. "I, Regulus Arcturus Black, swear upon my magic to not divulge any information shared with me tonight by Severus Snape and Ava McGonagall."

Ava threw him a grateful smile. "So, let me start at the beginning. When I first arrived to Hogwarts." She then proceeded to tell Regulus of the soulmate spell and how she was familiar with the Wizarding World. He didn't quite believe her at first, but he relented after she gave him some personal trivia. More specifically, his odd friendship with Kreacher, which apparently no one knew about, even Sirius. Like Severus, he didn't need much convincing of how depraved the Death Eaters would become over the years. The Horcruxes threw him for a loop though, resulting in ashen skin and erratic breathing.

"It's alright, Regulus. I know what they are and where they are," she reassured him while grasping his hand in hers. "At least, I do for the most part," she added with a shrug.

"That doesn't help," he exclaimed, squeezing her hand reflectively. He looked to the other wizard with wide eyes. "You know what he'll do Severus. You know how dangerous he is."

"So do I," Ava said, determination lacing her tone. "Don't underestimate me, Regulus."

His gray eyes scanned her face for a moment before he nodded sharply. "What's our time line? I'm assuming there's a point of no return before events will occur as you know them?"

She nodded. "We have about four years, but I'd like to get this nasty business wrapped up much before then."

Regulus let out a breath. "It won't be easy."

"I don't expect it to be. But with your help, and James and Sirius, as well as McGonagall and the Order, we're going to be fine." She hoped that her voice didn't betray the uncertainty she felt about defeating Voldemort.

"I apologize for the position my brother has put you in," he told her with a frown. "He's always up to no good, and he's the same way at home too."

Ava smiled softly. "It's alright, Regulus." She patted his hand and pulled away. Truth be told, Ava hadn't thought about her home world in quite some time. Feeling her eyes stinging in anticipation of the waterworks yet to come, she quickly changed the subject. "So, will you help us? It's okay if you don't want to. I understand how precarious of a situation it would be for you."

He shook his head immediately. "No. It's worth it. If everything you said is true, we can't let that happen."

She flashed him a smile. "Thank you, Regulus. Really. It means a lot to me." Yet again, Ava found herself partnering with another ally, boosting her confidence and allowing her to consider that they might just pull this whole thing off.

* * *

Remus was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, trying to focus on his Transfiguration essay to no avail. He couldn't stop thinking about Ava, and worrying about her. He knew that he hadn't handled the situation best that he could, but he didn't seem to think straight around her. It was harder for him to control Moony, but there was a part of him that knew the human side of him felt the same way. He just wanted to protect Ava and keep her safe. It didn't help that he knew something else was going on with her, her "ordeal" or whatever it was, which added to his anxiety.

He sighed and set down his quill. He glanced up from his work to look at James and Sirius, who were actually completing their assignments without hassle for once. "Hey, guys. Could you tell me what's going on with Ava?"

Both of his friends paused in their writing and shared a look before turning his way. James nonchalantly asked, "What do you mean?"

Remus scowled. "Cut the shit. I know something's going on with her. Probably her health. What is it?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You know we're not going to tell you anything. It's Ava's business. If you want to know, then you've got to talk to her yourself."

He let out a frustrated growl.

James raised his hands. "Whoa, mate. We promised her we wouldn't tell anyone, alright?"

Remus could feel his expression soften. He could sympathize with not wanting to betray a friend's trust. "I'm just worried about her, you know?" he said softly.

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, we know. But you've really got to try with Ava, Moony. She doesn't trust easily, and I know you don't want to move too fast with her."

Remus blushed, but nodded.

"Well, be her friend first, then she'll let you in," Sirius told him.

He nodded again. He just needed to work with Moony on sticking to that advice. _No more tantrums_, he thought to his wolf. _I need to apologize first though if I've got any chance of her talking to me._

* * *

Considering that Ava arrived to the Great Hall once again with Severus and Regulus at her side, dinner was another tense meal. She was starting to feel like she wasn't welcome at the table, but James and Sirius's gentle shoulder nudges reassured her. She consumed her meal quickly and intended to head back to her quarters to finish up her homework for the weekend. As soon as she finished her last bite, she said her goodbyes and retreated from the dining hall. Only a few steps outside of the entrance, someone grabbed her shoulder. She startled and turned around to see Remus. Sucking in a breath, her eyes roved over his face, desperate to see him after a near twenty-four absence from her sight. Her hands tightened, recalling why she had been avoiding him.

"Ava, can we talk please?" he asked, worry lacing his tone, as his hand dropped from her shoulder.

She quickly debated if she should try to hold off this conversation until James or Sirius was around. _No, you were okay with him in Hogsmeade, for the most part at least. And besides, you've got to be alone with him at some point if you're going to be together._ She couldn't help the blush that sprang to her cheeks and tried to will the color to go away before Remus noticed. "Sure," she said with a nod.

His body seemed to relax at her response. Glancing up and down the corridors that branched off from the entrance to the Great Hall, he must've come to a decision and gestured for Ava to follow him. He headed down one of the corridors and seemed to be walked towards a tapestry.

_Oh, no. I'm not going in there. Not alone with him. In a small, dark space._ Not sure how to avoid going behind the covering with Remus, she continued to follow him. _Bad idea, bad idea. Say something!_ But it was too late, as Remus pulled back the tapestry and snagged her wrist, dragging her in right behind him.

_Bad idea_, she mentally confirmed upon realizing there was only a couple feet between the two of them once Remus lit his wand. Ava could already feel her magic stirring, delighted at the idea of being in such an intimate setting with her soulmate.

"So," Remus started, running his hand through his hair. He seemed unable to keep his gaze on her as he continued, "I want to apologize."

Ava raised her eyebrows. _Huh, I wasn't expecting that_.

"My behavior in Hogsmeade was uncalled for. You were right, and I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It's just—just, well, I don't want to see you get hurt." His words started to fall from his mouth faster. "I couldn't stand it if you got hurt, Ava. Especially, if I didn't do anything to prevent it. You just made me worry, and I think I went a bit overboard, you know?"

Ava sighed. Of course she knew. His face was so full of remorse and worry, and all because of her. _I can't take seeing him like this_, she whined internally as her magic flared to life. Ava could feel it nudging her towards Remus, compelling her to reassure him that she was there with him and safe. Unable to hold herself back, she launched herself at him, looping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry too," she said, voice muffled by his robes.

Remus didn't hesitate to return her embrace. He pulled her body against his and buried his face in her neck.

Ava smiled when she felt and heard him inhale deeply. Her magic thrummed in satisfaction and she absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair.

He stiffened for a brief moment before returning to his task of taking in as much of her scent as he could, and he began to press his lips softly to her neck.

Ava tensed herself, but relaxed knowing that she had wanted to progress their relationship at some point soon anyway. Not to mention, feeling Remus tenderly kiss her skin and holding her hips tightly was absolute heaven. She startled, feeling a little nip. "Remus?" she asked, hoping her voice didn't waver.

He pulled back from her with wide eyes. "I'm _so_ sorry. I can't believe I just did that."

She smiled. "It's alright. You just surprised me."

He continued rambling on, as though he didn't hear her. "Oh Godric. I really just bit you, didn't I?"

"Remus, it's perfectly fine," she reassured him, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"I swear, I'm not normally like this."

Ava rolled her eyes as he apologized profusely once more. _Good God man, get a grip_. She reached for the back of his head and pulled him down, slamming her lips against his. Remus froze, almost giving Ava pause, but she waited another moment, savoring the feeling of their magic coming together. It tingled across her lips and she pressed her body closer to his, practically trying to climb inside his skin. She hesitantly ran her tongue along his lips, which spurred him on.

Remus gripped her hip with one hand and threaded his other through her hair, keeping her mouth against his. He returned her kiss, learning her lips with his tongue and teeth.

Ava dropped her hands to his chest as they took the time to explore each other's mouths. She could feel her magic building, swirling in a fiery haze, clouding her thoughts of everything but Remus and his body. He bit down on her bottom lip and tugged lightly, causing a whimper of need to escape from her. He growled, and in a blur, lifted her up while wrapping her legs around his hips and pushed her up against the wall.

"Holy shit," she said, breathless and wide eyed. Her skirt allowed for the heat of Remus's body to seep into her own. She swallowed, realizing how exposed her core was to him.

Her comment must've brought Remus back into himself because he pulled away from her face, but held her gaze. His expression looked pained and was lit by the pale light emanating from his wand, which now rested on the floor. His hands were still gripping tightly onto her thigh and butt as he panted, trying to catch his breath.

Ava could see his eyes flickering between green and amber. She placed a hand softly against his cheek. "Remus?"

"Ava," he said, voice deeper than she had heard him speak before.

Her magic may have been pushing the two of them together, but Ava had her own needs too. She shifted her hips, trying to get closer to Remus.

"Ava," he growled in a warning tone. "Stop."

"What if I don't want to?" she whispered.

Remus let out a long groan and dropped his head to her shoulder. "What are you doing to me, witch?"

She giggled and shifted her hips again. "I dunno," she said innocently.

He growled as he plundered her mouth once more and kneaded her ass cheek before he suddenly dropped her and stepped away, snatching his wand from the ground.

She let out a surprised squeak as she hit the floor and tried to right her clothing. "Why'd you stop?" she asked, trying to keep the hurt out of her tone.

Regardless, he must've picked up on it because he took a step forward, intending to reach out to her, but seemed to think better of it and dropped his hand. "I'm sorry, Ava. I'd really love to continue this at some point, but that's uh, not why I brought you in here."

She laughed. "I know that, Remus." She looked down, fingers playing with her skirt. "I was just enjoying myself. Were you?"

"Yes," he said quickly. "A little too much. We need to slow down, for now at least. I haven't even taken you on a proper date yet."

Ava beamed at him. _He wants to go on a date!_

"And I think we should talk about what's going on between us. It's, uh—well—" he paused, rubbing the back of his neck. He opened his mouth to continue, but Ava cut him off.

"I have a pretty good idea about what's happening, but we don't need to talk about it yet. At least until we're both ready." _Please don't want to talk about it. Please don't want to talk about it._

Remus frowned slightly, but nodded after a moment. "Alright."

She let out a relieved breath and smoothed over her clothes once more. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow?"

He smiled. "Definitely."

Ava returned his smile and turned to leave their little hideout. As she was about to let the tapestry drop back down behind her, Remus called her name. "Yeah?" she asked, peeking her head back in to see him.

"We're going to need to talk soon because now that I know how good you taste, I won't be able to hold myself back much longer," he told her with a smirk.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I thoroughly enjoyed reading the reviews from last chapter! They made me laugh and I'm glad you guys are liking sexy Remus :) Honestly though, I really appreciate the kind words everyone has sent my way, so thank you :D
> 
> Thank you for all of the kudos too! :)
> 
> Review shout-out: BlinkyTheClown, TrueWarrior98, and Mayamelissa, thank you guys SO much!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 28**

Avalynn sat the Gryffindor table, scowling at her breakfast plate while she considered how her magic had changed its behavior since the day before. "The Pleasurable Mistake That Was", as she had dubbed it, must have convinced her magic that she and Remus had further accepted the bond between them. Instead of her magic being annoyingly persistent like usual, now it was acting more like a fire that was stoked by Remus's presence and the thought of his body against hers. She really wasn't sure how good of an idea their interaction had been, as much as she had loved it. A part of her felt like utter shit for keeping the truth from Remus, but she didn't feel ready to tell him everything yet. _He seemed to be okay with waiting though_, she thought. Ava couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to the darkened alcove where she first felt Remus's lips against hers. The feeling of desperate need rushed back into her, images of the moment flashing through her head. _He nipped at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He growled into her mouth and picked her up, pressing her back into the castle wall._

Ava could feel her face flushing as a sensual warmth spread throughout her body. _Oh, God. Is this going to happen to me every time I just _think _about him?_ Afraid that her reaction would draw everyone's attention, she snuck glances around the table, thankful to see that no one noticed her hot and bothered state. But then she made eye contact with Remus. He was looking directly at her with a hungry, heated expression. Her eyes widened before flicking her gaze back down to her plate. _At least my attraction isn't one sided_, she considered. Regardless of how much she wanted Remus, she didn't want their physical relationship to spiral out of control before they had a chance to talk to one another. To both get to know each other better, but to also allow Ava to explain the truth of their situation.

"Ava," Remus said softly. She looked up to see his eyes completely green and he continued, "Would you want to study with Lily, myself, and some others this afternoon?"

"I actually already have plans for today," she told him, thinking of Benedict and the other first-years that were to meet with her and Severus.

Hurt flashed across the werewolf's face before he seemed to force a smile. "That's alright."

Speaking quickly, Ava asked, "What about tomorrow? I'm free tomorrow."

He beamed. "That would be great." He chuckled. "Seems like everyone desires your company."

She smirked. "That's because I always leave my partners more than satisfied and coming back for more."

It took Ava a moment to realize those words had actually come out of her mouth. The stunned silence of the table made it obvious that her friends had heard what she said. _Oh my God, that was SO cheesy. What is this? Drarry fan fiction? I can't believe I just said that. Aloud. To Remus,_ she scolded herself, hoping that Remus knew she wasn't being serious about being with other people and just meant study partners.

She risked a look at Remus and sucked in a breath. His pupils were blown wide and he looked ready to devour her. Ava's mind immediately took her back to the feeling of him pressed against her intimately from the day before. _She squirmed in his grasp, and he could barely hold himself back_. She pressed her thighs together as her imagination ran away with the thought of Remus touching her, arousal rolling off her in waves.

Remus inhaled deeply and his eyes flickered to amber for a brief moment.

An elbow to her ribs pulled Ava from her heady thoughts. She turned to Sirius with a frown. "What?" she asked quietly.

He was clenching his jaw. "Can you _please_ take it down a notch?" he whispered, desperation lacing his tone.

She continued to frown at him for a moment before realization dawned in her eyes. "You mean—you, you can—"

Sirius grimaced. "Smell your desire? Yeah, so if you could not think about how much you want to shag Moony, that'd be great."

Her cheeks flamed, mortified. She turned to Remus, who looked ready to snarl at his best friend, and quickly grabbed her schoolbag before hastily departing the Great Hall.

* * *

Classes seemed to drag on forever to Ava, who was more than ready to meet up with her soulmate and other friends in the library for a study session. The intense looks that her and Remus shared every time they had seen each other since breakfast the day before had her all riled up. Because of the unfortunate comment from Sirius, Ava relentlessly tried to keep her more explicit thoughts of Remus to herself, behind the mental wall she practiced constructing, which Severus assisted with the afternoon prior. It appeared to be working, as the Animagus hadn't mentioned anything else so embarrassing to her.

As excited as she was to spend more time with Remus, she was also nervous. Ava couldn't help but fret over the "what ifs" that plagued her mind as she approached the library doors. _What if we don't like the same things? What if he thinks our magic made a mistake in choosing one another? What if he realizes that he doesn't actually like me?_ She shook her head. _Don't think like that_, she reprimanded herself. _If our magic thinks we belong together, then we probably do. So, get over yourself, it'll be fine._

Once inside the large, quiet room, Ava took a few minutes strolling through the various study areas where students tended to gather before locating her fellow Gryffindors. She couldn't help but notice that they were situated as far away as possible from the table that she and Severus frequented. Remus, Alice, and Lily were already settled in, books and parchment laying on the table. Of course, Remus was the first alerted to her presence. His head whipped up from his assignment and he grinned widely. The smile directed her way made her heart melt. Ava wasn't sure anyone had ever been so happy to see her before. She returned his welcoming grin and felt a blush rise to her cheeks when she realized the seat left empty for her was next to Remus.

"Hey, guys," she said as she lowered herself into the chair, careful to not brush up against Remus.

The girls greeted her with enthusiasm and Lily demanded to know how each of her classes were going and what level of the curriculum she was studying for each. After a brief discussion of Ava's workload, the four students got to work. Occasionally, she would ask her friends for help or clarification, but she held her own for the most part, which they seemed to appreciate. She laughed internally, comparing their study group to what she would expect from James, Sirius, and probably Peter, if they had been the ones studying. Ava had moved onto her Potions essay, but needed a particular book for a theory that her textbook only referenced. After asking for her table-mates' thoughts, Remus graciously offered to show her where she could find the text she needed.

Without waiting for a response from her, the werewolf stood and held out his hand.

Ava peeked at Lily and Alice out of the corner of her eye to see them smiling. She looked back to Remus and gulped in trepidation, but grasped his proffered hand. The instant their skin touched, their magic reached out for one another, interacting for the first time in two days. Not even a few steps away from their table, Ava let out a happy sigh. Her magic thrummed in pleasure, and raced throughout her body before settling. She had noticed that over the past couple of days that her magic hadn't been as bossy towards her as it was before, and she just assumed that was due to the fact that she was actually spending time with Remus now.

He smiled at her knowingly, indicating he had most likely heard her noise of relief.

Ava's knees felt weak. There was just something about the way he looked at her that made her feel like she was the most special person in the world.

As Remus led her through the shelves of books, he asked, "What did you do for school before coming to Hogwarts?"

She squeezed his hand minutely at the reminder of her world, lost to her forever. "I went to Muggle schools since my mom, you know, didn't want me around magic."

He frowned and gently rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. "I'm sorry. That must've been hard on you."

She shrugged. "It's fine. I'm here now."

His smile returned. "I admire your strength, Ava."

She stopped walking and turned to him. "What do you mean?"

He ran his free hand through his sandy hair. "Well, you've had a lot to deal with recently. You lost your mum, moved countries, moved in with a relative you didn't really know, and you've had to adapt to living in a world with magic. Not to mention, everything that you've learned since arriving here."

Ava stood in silence for a few moments, considering his words. "You're right," she finally said, sounding a little surprised that she agreed with him. Her face must've darkened because he looked at her in concern. "It's been absolute shit sometimes, but I'm sure you've noticed that. I don't always mask my emotions very well," she admitted. He nodded but stayed silent, so she continued. "But the longer I'm here, the more I've come to realize that maybe this is where I'm meant to be. I've found an aunt who seems to love me as much as I love her, and I've formed friendships that I'm sure will last a lifetime." She squeezed his hand and smiled. "And I've found you."

Remus looked at her awestruck, with his mouth hanging slightly open. While he didn't say anything, possibly thrown by her honesty, Ava could feel her magic tickling along her fingers, over her palm, and flicker up her wrist and arm. It felt like a hug, embracing her with safety and warmth.

Too afraid to hear what Remus might think, she tugged him along the aisle of shelves and asked, "So, where is this book supposed to be?"

"Just around the corner," he replied softly, sounded distracted.

They both scanned the row, looking for the title for a couple minutes before Ava spotted it on the top shelf. She tried reaching for it, but could barely touch the bottom of the spine. With a little bounce, she managed to grasp the edge of the book and wiggle it slightly free from its place on the shelf. She raised her hand, intending on jumping once more when Remus reached up and snatched it down for her.

"Thanks, Remus," she said, taking a slight step back from the shelf to turn around, only to bump into him, sounding like she caused him to drop the book. "Oh! I'm sorry," she exclaimed before noticing that both of his hands were placed on either side of her, holding onto the shelf. Slowly, she turned her body to face him. Ava felt her breath leave her body, realizing how close his face was, putting his perfectly kissable lips within reach of her own. His arms were caging her in against the shelf, making her feel trapped.

And judging by the predatory look in Remus's eyes, that was his intention. Seeing them flicker between amber and green, Ava wasn't sure how in control Remus was at the moment.

She licked her lips, watching his eyes track the movement. _This is a bad idea_. She opened her mouth to voice that thought aloud, but before she could utter even a syllable, Remus swooped in, pressing his lips against hers. Ava noticed it wasn't as needy as their kiss a couple of days ago behind the tapestry. It was more relaxed and soothing. _And down right intoxicating_, she thought. She closed her eyes, and lost herself in the feeling of his tongue coaxing hers into his mouth.

Remus's hands must've left their post from either side of her because he slipped them inside her robe. Even through her shirt, his touch warmed her skin, leaving a trail of magic caressing her hips and back.

Her hands were clutching the front of his robes, trying to keep herself upright as her mind became muddled with the desire and need to feel his skin on hers.

Remus's hands left her body and slowly rose to cover hers tangled in his robes before prying them away from himself. He took a step back, green eyes roving over her face, and smirked, causing Ava to think she must've looked throughly kissed. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then, without a word, he turned and headed down the aisle, in the direction of their table.

_What? Where's he going?_ she thought, trying to work her way out of the heated daze her body seemed to be stuck in. Realizing that the werewolf was purposefully leaving her in such a state, she hissed after him, "You're an absolute tease, Remus Lupin!"

He paused and glanced over his shoulder, giving her an infuriating wink before continuing around the corner.

Ava stood there with her mouth hanging open, stunned at what had just occurred. _Oh, so it's like that, is it?_ she thought, quickly righting her clothes and picking up the book she needed from the floor. She huffed in part amusement and part exasperation._ That cheeky bastard_, she thought as she made her way back to their study group, already plotting on how to return the favor.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I love seeing your reactions to what's happening in the story! It's fun for me to see what you think, so feel free to leave any feedback :)
> 
> Thank you for all of the comments and kudos! It's so amazing to me, I can't truly express my gratitude :)
> 
> Review shout-out: TrueWarrior98, BlinkyTheClown, and cordeliaseams!! Thank you all! :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 29**

Over the next couple of weeks, Avalynn advanced through her classes, moving onto third year for Transfiguration, fourth year for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and fifth year for Charms. Her current placement in second year classes for Astronomy, History of Magic, and Potions made it clear which types of magic she preferred. Thankfully, Severus didn't seem to mind that her progress in Potions wasn't moving as quickly as the others. Although, since he had some insider information, he must've understood better than anyone else, except for maybe Regulus, why Ava pushed herself so hard when it came to dueling and spell casting.

While spending more time with Regulus, and attempting to nonchalantly ask him questions about his life at home and his true beliefs about Muggleborns and magical creatures, it was rather apparent that he didn't prescribe to the same bigoted values that the typical members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight did. Especially once Ava revealed the original reason why Regulus plotted against Voldemort. The boy had been distressed enough that he called immediately for Kreacher just to see with his own eyes that the house elf was indeed alright. Another Slytherin that Ava found herself growing fond of was Barty Crouch Jr. He had dutifully returned to their study group and sheepishly presented his graded Charms essay for Ava to read over. Just like she knew he would, Barty had earned points exceeding full credit. Ava had accidentally startled him when she raised her hand for a high-five, causing her face to darken at his resulting flinch. From that moment, she vowed to herself to protect the abused Slytherin as much as she could in the coming years.

Ava was currently between classes, as was rest of the student body, making her way towards a hidden alcove to place herself in a prime position to sneak up on Remus. During the last two weeks, they seemed to take turns slowly torturing each other with heated encounters that never lasted for more than a minute or two. Even though they had barely discussed it aloud, they had an agreement of sorts to not push their physical relationship any further for the time being beyond fervent kissing and touching. _And only above the clothes_, Ava grumbled to herself. _But that ends today._ She quickly ducked behind a tapestry that James had assured her they walked in front of every day and tossed her schoolbag to the side after casting _Lumos_ to take a quick peek at her surroundings.

"Why are there so many make-out spots readily accessible in a school?" she whispered aloud to herself. While she and Remus had primarily used secretive spots and the library, she knew from the others that there were broom closets to take advantage of as well.

Ava shook her head and settled in, waiting for a signal from James as the Marauders passed her hiding spot. Thinking about her recent intimate rendezvous with Remus caused her to chuckle lightly, knowing that he and Moony both completely enjoyed it. _Those smug jerks_. She had come to the conclusion that Remus was intentionally riling her up, to the point of wetness and pressing her thighs together to get _some_ sort of friction, and then leaving her purposefully in that state, all hot and bothered. The most he had touched her was grasping her hips, back, and rear end. _Nothing more private_, she thought dejectedly before reminding herself that would hopefully be changing once she launched her attack on Remus in just a few minutes.

She could hear students exiting classrooms and emptying out into the corridors, so she doused the light at the end of her wand and pocketed it for now. Ava was slowly coming around to telling Remus the truth as they got to know each other better. She knew more about his parents and hobbies, as well as basic likes and dislikes, and a plethora of seemingly mundane information, but it thrilled her each time she learned something new. She coveted each piece of information, loving everything about Remus. Even experiencing his flaws were a joy because she felt closer to him afterwards. And though his stubbornness, incessant quill tapping while studying, and habit of correcting other's use of the English language could grate on her nerves, they didn't detract from all of his good qualities.

Ava was yanked from her thoughts as she heard James's voice clearly ring out in the hallway.

"So, Marauders, any plans for the next trip to Hogsmeade?" he asked, his voice projecting over the other students.

She rolled her eyes. _Way to be inconspicuous James._

"What about you, Moony?" James asked, placing emphasis on the nickname.

_That's it!_ Ava thought as she quickly reached out from between the castle wall and tapestry, snatching the arm within reach and heaving the person into the alcove with her. Without the light from her wand or heightened senses around the full moon, Ava could tell Remus was her captive just from the way their magic reacted. It had slowly come to life, sensing her soulmate on the other side of the hanging decoration, and evolved into a giddy swirl within her at the mere touch of Remus's hand as he grasped for something to steady himself with.

"Ava?" he whispered.

She could hear the smile in his voice as she trailed her hands up his shoulders, intent on removing his schoolbag and robes.

* * *

Remus shivered from Ava's touch, which left behind the pleasant tingle of magic along his arms up to his shoulders. Realizing what she was trying to accomplish, he quickly acquiesced and let his bag drop to the floor. However, he let out a breath of surprise when Ava slid her hands beneath his robes and pushed them from his shoulders. _What's she doing?_ he wondered, knowing they wouldn't have much time together. But that fact didn't seem to matter to his witch as she pressed her soft body against his, threading her fingers through his hair to pull him down for a searing kiss.

Any questions that had been on the tip of his tongue left his mind the moment her lips greeted his in a familiar dance. He gripped her hips, holding her tightly against him. Too soon, Ava's lips left his, but she peppered his cheek and jaw with kisses until she met his neck. He groaned, her lips seeming to leave magic burning into his very being wherever she touched his skin. He desperately wanted to rip off her clothes and have his way with her right there on the floor. Remus could feel Moony growling in agreement, inadvertently helping him reign in his self-control. _No, not like this_, he told himself harshly, regardless of the growing bulge in his pants.

Ava let out a breathy, "Finally," as he felt a wave of pleasure shudder through him.

Wading through his lust-filled haze, he slowly realized that Ava had pulled the bottom of his shirt loose and was running her hands up and down his bare back. "Ava," he groaned, in half want and half exasperation. She kept her fingers pressed against his skin as she reached up on her toes to silence him with a kiss. "I thought— we were—taking things—slow," he managed to utter in between moments of Ava occupying his mouth and mind with her enchanting tongue.

"We are", she insisted, reaching down to squeeze his ass.

Remus could feel his eyes widen and face flush even more so than it already was. "Ava!" he yelped.

She giggled. "What?" she asked innocently. "Do you not want me to touch you?"

He shook his head vehemently. "No! Of course I do! It's just that—"

Ava seemed intent on testing his strength of will as she slid her small hand past the waistband of his pants to cup his bare ass as she quieted his protests with another mind-numbing kiss.

For a few moments, Remus lost himself in Ava's touch, relishing the way her body and magic felt against his own. The werewolf finally came to his senses when he felt a tug around the front of his waist and heard the telltale sound of his belt being undone. He snatched Ava's hands in his own and held them firmly away from himself. He almost felt his resolve crumble when she let out a disappoint whine, but he quickly shook his head. _No! She deserves better than this!_ He continued to grasp her hands as he said, "Ava, I'm really enjoying myself, truly, I promise. But I can only keep myself in check for so long."

She huffed and ripped her hands from his. Within seconds, their little hideout was washed in a pale light coming from Ava's wand. She fixed him with the glare that he had come to know as an indicator that she was rearing up for a battle. "Maybe I don't want you to hold yourself back."

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Look, I really care about you and—"

"Then treat me with some respect," she snapped. "Women can have sexual desires too, you know."

He groaned. "Ava, trust me, I know. And I'm glad that you do. It's just that—well. I'm _trying_ to treat you respectfully." He paused. They hadn't discussed their relationship outright with each other yet. Sex hadn't even come up once. _How am I supposed to say this?!_ he panicked internally.

Ava must've seen the nervous fright on his face in the dimly lit space because she sighed softly and reached out, placing her hand against his cheek. "Remus Lupin, are you trying to protect my virtue?" she asked with a smile.

He rolled his eyes. _Of course, she'd find humor in this situation._ "Yeah. That's what I'm _trying_ to do at least. But you're making it exceedingly difficult," he said, returning her smile as he nuzzled the palm of her hand.

"I better be on my best behavior then."

He let out a relieved breath. "Thank you."

Even in the low lighting, his werewolf senses allowed him to see Ava's eyes darken a moment later. She stepped closer to him, standing on the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear. "I guess you'll just have to punish me if I misbehave." She pulled back from him, biting her bottom lip.

His cock twitched, picturing Ava naked beneath him, begging him to let her come. "Oh, Godric," Remus moaned before closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He felt Ava kiss his cheek before he heard the rustle of the tapestry. He peeked his eyes open to see that he was alone, letting out an instinctual frustrated growl which originated from Moony, but one that he whole-heartedly agreed with. "That witch is going to be the death of me," he grumbled aloud as he shouldered his schoolbag, before reluctantly continuing on his way to class and _not_ to track down his mate that he was eager to claim.

* * *

Ava spent nearly the entire time in Astronomy with her thoughts in the clouds, primarily focusing on her soulmate. She both resented and admired the fact that Remus was able to maintain a clear head about their relationship. She enjoyed giving into the draw between them and soaking up all the pleasurable feelings that came with their hasty and heated interactions. But realistically, she wasn't sure she could live with herself if they ended up having sex before Remus knew the truth about her. She couldn't help but worry about his reaction, especially if he had felt comfortable enough to be with her in such an intimate way. Determined to keep her soulmate from regretting any sort of relationship with her, physical or not, Ava knew she'd have to come clean soon. _Telling Regulus wasn't so bad_, she thought while packing up her belongings at the end of class. _Then again, he's not my soulmate, so there's that_. She huffed an exasperated breath as she filed out of the classroom with the other students and headed towards the library. In order to keep the peace, she had begun to alternate days that she spent studying with her friends from Slytherin and those in Gryffindor, along with Remus. Today, she was to meet up with Severus and Regulus, and possibly Barty. The younger boy had warmed slightly to their group, but didn't always make an appearance.

Not paying attention to where she was walking, Ava bumped into someone, automatically apologizing.

"That's quite alright, Miss McGonagall," a deep voice replied.

Her head snapped up to see Lucius Malfoy standing in front of her. Eyes quickly scanning the corridor, she realized that while lost in the "what ifs" her mind continuously conjured, the hallway had become deserted. It was just her and Malfoy. Her eyes narrowed. _He must've run into me on purpose._ "Can I help you?" she asked, keeping her tone friendly.

He rose an elegant brow. "Quite the coincidence to stumble upon one another like this. I was hoping to have the chance to speak with you regarding an important matter."

Ava's brows furrowed. "Oh, really?"

"Yes. How are you finding Hogwarts? To your liking?"

A scoff slipped out before she could stop it. "Of course, I'm learning about magic."

He nodded. "Indeed. Your upbringing must have been quite inadequate."

Ava pursed her lips, but stayed silent.

"I've noticed that you've formed an interesting social circle since arriving to Hogwarts."

"What's your point, Malfoy?"

"While being a Gryffindor, you've been accruing more and more Slytherins into your group of acquaintances," he said with a blank expression.

She raised her eyebrows. "I didn't realize that my group of _friends_ was of such interest to you."

He sneered. "I don't know what you're playing at, McGonagall, but I'm sure I'll find out eventually."

Ava frowned, praying that her panic wasn't visible. "What are you talking about?"

"Since your arrival, you've befriended every type of wizard there is. Half-bloods like yourself, but also Purebloods. Blood traitors amongst them, as well as those from the families of the Sacred Twenty-Eight." He paused and gave her a calculating look. "Inevitably, you'll have to choose a side."

She narrowed her eyes in return. "So you say," she said with steel in her tone.

"You cannot stand alongside Purebloods that uphold the traditions and values of the Wizarding World and mingle with blood traitors and Muggle lovers on the side. It simply isn't done." While Malfoy's tone resembled that of an academic lecture, the meaning behind his words was clear to Ava. Conform to our ways, or you stand against us.

"Hmm," she said with a shrug before fixing him with a hard stare. "Perhaps that's only because no one has done so before."

His eyes flashed with an unreadable expression.

She mentally scoffed, assuming that she had offending his delicate sensibilities, but waited in silence for Malfoy to speak his mind.

"You think _you'll_ be the one to lead the Wizarding people into a new era?" he asked with narrowed eyes. "Into _the light_?"

It surprised Ava, but there was a trace of genuine curiosity in his tone. "Possibly." She maintained eye contact, waiting to see if he would back off. Looking into his slate gray eyes, Ava felt a presence slither up against her mind, subtly trying to find a crack to sneak through. _Shit!_ She immediately reinforced her mental shields and discreetly palmed her wand. Raising one brow, she asked, "Are we finished here?"

The unwelcome company in her mind perused her shield more frantically for a few moments before it withdrew. Malfoy quirked a pale eyebrow at her. "Seems there is more to you than meets the eye, Miss McGonagall."

She gave him a feral grin, visibly startling the wizard in front of her. "You have no idea," she muttered before walking past him and continuing on her way to the library.

* * *

Ava sat in her usual seat, trying to catch her breath. Though she tried to remain her composure in front of Malfoy, she was panicking on the inside. _What if he finds out? I don't know how loyal he really is to Voldemort. Maybe bringing him on is just being too naive. But what if he doesn't truly believe in everything the Death Eaters represent?_ She let out a startled yelp when Severus and Regulus greeted her as they sat down at the table.

Both wizards frowned at her. "You scary easy," Regulus commented before pulling out his books and supplies.

However, Severus continued to stare at her. Ava knew if she looked away, then he would assume something was wrong and she didn't want to give the two Slytherins anything to worry about on top of everything else. _Besides, Severus will probably rip into me for hearing how I handled it,_ she thought. She forced a smile onto her face, causing Severus to narrow his eyes.

Immediately, he drew his wand and cast _Muffliato_. "What happened?" he demanded.

Ava's lips formed a line.

Regulus's gaze flickered between the two and he sighed. "What's wrong now?"

"Yes, Ava. What's wrong now?" Severus repeated, crossing his arms.

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

Now Regulus had his eyes narrowed at her. "If it's nothing, then just tell us."

"I ran into Malfoy, we exchanged pleasantries, and went about our ways, that's all," she said in one breath.

The younger Slytherin scoffed. "Nothing about Malfoy is pleasant, Ava."

"What about your conversation left you so jumpy that our appearance frightened you?" Severus asked, with a brow raised.

"As if," Ava said with a scoff. "You two don't frighten me."

Both wizards looked slightly taken aback. _Most likely thinking some nonsense about how they're dark wizards who can't be trusted_, she thought.

"What? You're my friends," she said with a shrug. "Best friend," she added, smiling at Severus.

His expression briefly softened before turning stormy. "Don't change the subject, Ava."

She sighed. "Fine. If you must know, Malfoy has taken it upon himself to keep track of my friends. Like the fact that some are Slytherin, some Gryffindor, all different kinds of backgrounds. Purebloods and what not," she explained gesturing with her hands. "And he doesn't seem to like it."

"While not surprising, that revelation doesn't explain why you were startled," Regulus said after a few moments.

Her eyes darted back and forth between the boys, before settling on Severus. "He _may_ have tried Legilimency on me. And I _may_ have been able to keep him out, but now he still knows that I'm studying Occlumency." The anger in Severus's eyes forced her to duck her head. "I'm really sorry. I probably should've let him in and given him false memories or something, but I didn't think I was ready for that. I just reinforced my shield and hoped for the best. I had my wand ready in case he broke through though." It was silent for a few moments as she continued to stare at the table. "I'm sorry, Severus. I should've done better." A hand resting on her shoulder startled Ava. She looked up to see Severus standing over her with the most tender expression she had ever seen on his face.

"I'm not angry with you at all, Ava," he said quietly. "You did exactly as I would've instructed you. If you had let him into your mind, or if he had broken through, who knows what kind of damage he could have caused." His hand tightened around her shoulder. "The cretin might not have any real understanding of the art and could have wrecked your mind irreparably," he hissed.

Her mouth hung open. That was not at all how she expected him to react. "Oh, well, I'm fine." She gestured down her body with one hand. "All in one piece."

He nodded and pat her shoulder before resuming his seat. "This doesn't really change anything for us though. Malfoy might believe you are keeping secrets, but so is everyone. He'll never find yours out."

Ava nodded absentmindedly. "Does he already have the Mark?"

Both wizards looked at her with wide eyes before Severus said, "We're supposed to get ours together. After graduation."

"And his family's legacy is important to him, right? Like his heir and public standing?" she asked.

"Please, Ava, don't tell me—" Regulus began, but she held up her hand.

"I don't want to argue, can you just answer the question?"

Regulus looked to Severus for support, but the older wizard nodded. Turning back to Ava, Regulus said, "Being of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Malfoy would do everything in his power to maintain his family's legacy." He paused. "But in his eyes, I don't know what you could provide that the Dark Lord cannot."

Ava smiled. "Guarantees."

* * *

"_Stupefy_!" Ava yelled, pointing her wand at Sirius before bouncing on her feet to another defensive position on the dueling mat that the Room had created for them once again.

The wizard cast a shield, easily deflecting the spell before sending a Stinging Jinx her way, followed quickly by an _Expelliarmus_.

Her eyes widened as she hurriedly cast _Protego_, hoping her shield would form before the spells crossed the distance between them.

When she managed to protect herself in time, Sirius grinned and lowered his wand, but Ava was still running on the adrenaline from their duel. Without realizing that her partner had relaxed his fighting stance, she threw a Slicing Hex, which successfully landed its mark.

Sirius yelped in pain. "Ava! I had my wand lowered, witch! Were you even paying attention?"

"I'm sorry!" she called before running over to him. Seeing the grimace on his face and the blood seeping through his uniform shirt caused Ava to be flooded with guilt. "I really am sorry, Sirius. I was just too caught up in the duel," she said softly before reaching out to inspect his arm. She cast a quick glance to see Sirius watching her movement, and her hand stopped midair before pulling back. _I don't know if he's okay with me touching him_, she reminded herself. _He probably wouldn't want me to anyway._

Sirius sighed before shrugging off his wound and deciding that Ava demanded his attention. He caught her gaze and asked, "What's wrong? Why have you been walking on eggshells around me lately?"

_I dunno Sirius, maybe because you could smell the fact that I was turned on?_ Ava kept her features schooled. "Nothing," she told him with a shrug. "Ready for another round?"

He shook his head with a frown. "No way. We're going to talk about whatever is it that's going on and work it out."

Ava crossed her arms. "Nothing's bothering me." _I just don't know how to act around you anymore._

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Then why won't you touch me?"

Her eyes widened slightly before forcing a scoff from her lips. "You're being ridiculous."

His fist clenched at his sides. "I am not. You wouldn't touch me just now, even though I'm hurt. You don't really need us anymore around Remus, but when you do, you hold James's hand, not mine. You haven't hugged me in weeks." The anger left his face. "What did I do wrong?" he asked in a small voice.

Ava's heart broke just a little in that moment. "You didn't do anything wrong, Sirius." She shifted from foot to foot. "It's just—well, that comment you made must've sat funny with me and I don't know how to handle it.

He tilted his head. "What comment?"

Ava huffed. "You know, when we were in the Great Hall, and you said you could—you know, smell—," she gestured around the space in front of her crotch, "—that."

His brows furrowed and he pointed at her movement. "And what is _that_ supposed to be?"

She let out a noise of frustration as she stomped her foot. "You can what I damn well mean, Sirius Black!" she snapped. "You could smell my—", she lowered her voice, "—arousal."

Sirius beamed. "Was that so hard to say?" he asked before chuckling.

She smacked him hard on his uninjured arm. "You asshole! You just wanted to make me say it!"

"Yep," he said matter-of-factly before continuing to laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Now I don't know why I even bothered trying to consider your feelings."

Sirius stopped laughing. "My feelings?"

She nodded. "I didn't know why exactly you told me that you could smell how turned on I was," she said, gesturing wildly with her hands.

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. His gray eyes flicked to hers momentarily before he began pacing. "I understand that you're Moony's girl, and while I think you're easy on the eyes and pretty cool for a girl, I don't really feel that way about you." He stopped moving and looked to her again. "But when I can scent how ready you are to mate, it's confusing, and it does something to me, and more of Padfoot than myself comes out."

Ava's jaw dropped. "Oh."

He smiled. "Yeah, 'oh'." He closed the few steps between them. "Look, I don't want this to change anything. I'm still your friend, and I don't want you like that." He gave her a small smile. "Except when you get all randy," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She huffed a laugh. "I'll just have to keep it under control then. No more getting all turned on in public."

"Just make sure to tell that boyfriend of yours the same. It won't do any good if he's still acting like it's his life's mission to make you so wet you soak your panties."

Ava gasped. "Sirius!" she scolded him with wide eyes.

He bursted out laughing. "Don't act so scandalized. I know you do the exact same thing to him." He winked at her before heading towards the table with water glasses resting atop it.

Her cheeks flamed as she silently followed Sirius to get a drink of water. _He's not wrong, you know_, she told herself. After quenching their thirst, Ava hesitantly asked, "So, am I allowed to still hug you?"

Sirius's eyes lit up and instead of responding, he threw his arms around her and pulled her in close.

She giggled. "I didn't realize you were so touchy-feely, Sirius."

His body tensed.

Her mind raced. _Shit. What did I say?_

He relaxed and pulled back from her. "Let's just say my family isn't the most loving and cuddly bunch out there," he whispered.

Another crack struck through her heart at his admission. She tugged him back to her and squeezed tight. "You have people who truly love you Sirius, never doubt that."

After a few moments, he withdrew from her embrace, revealing wet eyes.

"Oh, Sirius," she whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek.

He leaned into her hand for only a brief moment before transforming into Padfoot and poking her with his wet nose. When Ava reached out to pet his head, he raced away to leap onto the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Silly puppy," she muttered under her breath as she approached the sofa where the Animagus had made himself comfortable. Ava plopped down on the other end of the couch, thoughts unwillingly drifting to her previous home world. She missed her dog desperately and Padfoot's appearance seemed to break the damn that had been keeping her emotions in check over the past few weeks. Her eyes began to gather tears as her mind conjured up images of her mother and best friends. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. A weight settled on her lap and against her side and looking through her blurry vision, Ava could see that Padfoot had snuggled up to her. Instinctively, she reached out and began to pet the fluffy dog. She began to cry harder, causing him to let out a whine and nuzzle closer to her. "I'm okay," she told him. "I just miss my family." She continued to self-soothe by rhythmically petting Padfoot's head and back. "I'm usually too busy to think about them, but sometimes the grief of losing them is overwhelming," Ava said to the Animagus in a shaky voice. She let out a sob. "And it just really sucks," she added, voice breaking.

Padfoot whined again, pushing his head under her hand, prompting her to continue with her pets.

Ava let out a watery laugh. "You're just like a real dog, Sirius."

He let out what she interpreted as an indignant huff.

She smiled down at him, but gave in, stroking his fur. Thankfully, her friend was enjoying her attention or maybe he could sense just how much she needed his comfort because he let her continue petting him to her heart's content as she mourned for her lost family. Ava's red and puffy eyes eventually closed from exhaustion and sleep consumed her.

Later that night, she shifted in her sleep, waking enough to realize that she was in her own bed. Her mind quickly recalled the events in the Room of Requirement before she snuggled back into her soft covers, telling herself to remember to thank Sirius for being such a good friend.

* * *

Sirius stormed through the Gryffindor common room, not stopping to even glance in the direction of his best friends. _I need to change before Remus freaks out._ He dashed up the stairs, dug through his trunk, and had managed to take off his robes and shirt before the rest of the Marauders plowed through the door to their dorm.

Remus inhaled deeply and looked to Sirius, eyes flashing amber. "Where were you?" he asked in a low voice.

Sirius sighed. "I was practice dueling with Ava, and she wasn't hurt, Moony," he assured the werewolf as he changed out of his pants.

"Then _why_ can I smell her all over you?" he growled.

James and Peter looked back and forth between their friends with wide eyes.

"She was sad and needed a hug from a _friend_," Sirius said.

Remus's tense body seemed to relax. "What upset her?" he asked, concerning lacing his tone.

He tugged on clean, non-Ava smelling clothes as he said, "She missed her family. She said sometimes it just surprises her. But I think it's good for her to cry it out instead of bottling all of that emotion in."

Remus stepped over to him with narrowed eyes. "And _you're_ the one she wanted comfort from?"

Sirius shrugged. "I just happened to be there, Moony. I doubt she would've chosen me over you, mate," he said, trying to keep his voice level and not antagonize Moony, regardless of how much he wanted to tell Remus off. If anyone were to comfort Ava, it should've been Remus. But he wasn't there.

The werewolf took a couple deep breaths. Looking at Sirius with his green eyes full of worry, he asked, "Is she okay now?"

Sirius scoffed. "Of course. I wouldn't just leave her like that." _Ava deserves better than that at least_, he thought. He noticed Remus clenching his jaw, so he added, "She's your mate, Moony, of course I'd help take care of her."

Remus relaxed and offered him a small smile. "Thanks, Sirius." He turned and headed back down to the stairs towards the common room.

The three remaining Marauders shared relieved looks before walking to the stairs themselves.

"Wait, what did you mean Ava is Moony's mate?" Peter asked, causing James and Sirius to look at each other with matching expressions of shock, worry clear in their eyes.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm sorry about the delay in posting this chapter, but I should be keeping up with two chapters a week from now on. Hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who been giving me kudos! :D I can feel the love from you guys, and it's awesome!
> 
> Review shout-out: Thank you to Mayamelissa! I love hearing what you guys think :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 30**

Avalynn sat in the Room of Requirement, tuning out the voices of Severus and Regulus, lost in her thoughts. She and Remus had spent the last week keeping their interactions intimate enough to satisfy their magic, but no where near what they personally wanted. The witch had to remind herself in moments of passion that delaying the physical aspect of their relationship was the best course of action until she broke the truth to Remus. _And it needs to happen soon_, she thought, considering that she was to spend the full moon with Remus and the Marauders that very night. _Or at least part of it_, she silently bemoaned. Professor McGonagall insisted that Ava stay in her care during the transformation should anything go wrong, so Sirius was staying behind to escort Ava down to the Shack after the transformation. The boys had been willing to compromise, hoping that Moony wouldn't be as aggressive with himself or his Animagus friends like last month if Ava was in his presence. Of course, no one was willing to let Ava be present during Remus's transformation as a precaution. _This time anyway_.

Hearing her name distantly repeated, Ava shook herself out of her contemplative daze and looked to the Slytherins sitting across the table from her in the Room of Requirement.

Severus had his lips pressed in a firm line before sighing. "Try to clear your mind using Occlumency, Ava. We need you to focus, so compartmentalize the distracting thoughts of your soulmate for now."

A look of understanding came over Regulus's face. "Ah, that's why your head is in the clouds. Day dreaming of a certain handsome wizard?" he teased.

Ava rolled her eyes, but followed the instruction from Severus. _He's right. This is not the time to let my mind wander._ Using her more recent training, Ava closed her eyes and visualized placing every thought of Remus within a small lake that she surrounded by thick pines, creating thick tree roots and a dense undergrowth to keep herself away. _For now_. Within moments, she opened her eyes and gave Severus a nod.

Regulus's eyes widened slightly. "That was quick."

Ava smiled. "I have a great teacher." Her happy expression faded. "But stopping Voldemort is also much more important than my romantic life."

"At least the pull isn't killing you any longer," Severus muttered under his breath.

She scoffed. "Yeah, but the transformations feel like I'm dying anyway."

Regulus frowned and locked eyes with Ava. "The connection was _killing_ you?"

Nodding, she explained, "The spell has a rather intense physical component to it. My magic feels alive, almost like it's self-aware, and it basically hurt me until I got closer to Remus. But now we know that I also experience the werewolf transformation vicariously through Remus, even though I don't turn into one myself."

He winced. "I'm sorry."

After a moment, Ava narrowed her eyes at Regulus, realizing she had just let it slip that Remus was a werewolf. She hadn't mentioned that fact in her story a couple weeks ago when she explained everything to the younger Slytherin, but he wasn't freaking out over it.

Catching her expression, Regulus rolled his eyes. "Please, my brother and his friends think they're so clever, but with those nicknames and Lupin always seeming sick and then missing around the full moon, it wasn't difficult to figure it out."

Her entire body went rigid. _What if other people know? What if they report him to the Ministry and he gets taken away?_ Her eyes darted between the wizards. "Do you think anyone else knows?"

Both wizards furrowed their brows for a few moments before Severus spoke, "I doubt it. It's unlikely at least, considering that Lupin is still here."

The room was silent for a little before Ava shook herself from morbid thoughts of losing Remus, focusing back on the task at hand. Horcruxes. Already having discussed the fact that Voldemort was using them to gain immortality and that it would be useless to fight him until they were destroyed, Regulus had asked if she knew any specific details about the Horcruxes. "So, anyway, I know the ones that he currently has, and I know of where at least some of them should be. One is the Gaunt family ring, which I know is in the Gaunt family home. I don't know where that is, but I know that it's got protective spells and stuff around it. And I'm sure that Dumbledore can take care of it once I'm inducted into the Order."

Regulus raised his brows. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Being in the Order?" He looked to Severus for support.

The older Slytherin sighed before saying, "I happen to agree with Regulus, Ava. I don't like the idea of you taking a more active role in defying the Dark Lord. You're already a target due to your knowledge. There's no reason to paint a bigger one on your back."

She waved them off with her hand. "It'll be fine. It's not like I'll be on the front lines or whatever, and I'm not planning on meeting him in person." She shuddered. "No, thank you. I'll just be giving the Order information, but I've got to get more involved at some point, so you might as well get used to it now." Ava looked between the wizards, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment that they understood.

While neither one looked happy about it, both Regulus and Severus gave her sharp nods.

She let out a relieved breath. _I wish James and Sirius would be that easy._ "Anyway, Voldemort had a diary from when he was still going by the name Tom Riddle that he turned into a Horcrux. It should be at Malfoy Manor, and—"

Regulus interrupted. "Riddle? That's not a Pureblood name."

Ava shook her head. "Nope. He's a half-blood."

Severus sneered. "Figures."

Once he picked his jaw up from the floor, anger overtook Regulus's expression. "That lying sack of shit." He sat back in his chair. "What utter bullshit," he said, shaking his head. "That maniac is selling himself to everyone as the heir of Slytherin and they're all lapping it up."

"To be fair, he _is_ the heir of Slytherin, but just happens to be a half-blood," she said with a shrug.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "That's even better since it goes against everything that he's built his platform on." After a moment, he huffed. "I apologize for my interruption, please continue."

Ava smiled at his manners. "So, that's two of the Horcruxes. Another one is the cup of Hufflepuff, which should be in the Lestranges's vault at Gringotts."

Both wizards spoke in unison.

"_How_ exactly are we supposed to retrieve that?" Severus asked, exasperation lacing his tone.

"How in the name of Merlin did he get his hands on _that_?" Regulus asked.

"He's got some sort of fixation with the founders of Hogwarts, and he's very sneaky and motivated. I can't remember exactly how he got that one, but he's also using the diadem of Ravenclaw as a Horcrux and I know he essentially tricked a Ravenclaw ghost for that one," she said. Ava stayed silent, letting the information sink in, knowing that it would be quite a surprise.

"Are you positive that those items exist? Could the ones you know about be false, and he's actually chosen something else?" Regulus asked with a frown.

Ava shook her head. "I'm absolutely sure about this. Voldemort's obsessive about things. He'll definitely have used these."

"Forget about the items themselves. How in the hell are we supposed to access the Lestrange vault? Or Malfoy's Manor?" Severus asked.

Ava opened her mouth, planning on suggesting they worry about that another time, when Regulus spoke up.

"I might be able to help with Gringotts actually. And Severus, don't forget the New Year's Eve ball that the Malfoys host every year. A party that size would be quite the distraction and cover all at once, and we'll both be invited."

Ava raised a brow. "Well that makes it a lot easier to get the diary then. What about the bank vault?"

"Give me time to think of something," Regulus said.

She was about to continue through the list of Horcruxes, when a thought occurred to her. "You know, I haven't seen Bellatrix, Rodolphus, or Rabastan yet."

Regulus explained, "Well, Bella and Rodolphus already graduated two years ago, and Rabastan is actually in my year."

"Are you close with him?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not really. Although, he's not close to anyone I'd wager, besides his brother that is. He seems to prefer acquaintances rather than friends, and made it clear during first year that he wasn't willing to talk about anything personal. He's a decent partner in class and doesn't tolerate stupidity. But I haven't seen him have any sort of altercations with anyone over the years, and he seemed pleasant enough at social events that our parents dragged us to. Why?"

"Hmm. Keep an eye on him. I don't know for sure what his allegiances are like, but if he's your age, then he was inducted at a young age as well. I remember him going to Azkaban."

"What?" Regulus asked, visibly startled.

"Yeah. That's why I want to look after him," she said. "And some others," she added, thinking about Barty. "I'm just not sure how some of the Death Eaters end up so insane and sadistic if they didn't show earlier signs of that behavior. You don't just become like that over night." Ava shook her head. "Anyway, the Ravenclaw diadem is here at Hogwarts and I know where it is. You guys can help me find it and destroy it once we've decided how we're going to do that. And then there's the locket of Slytherin, but I don't know if he has already created that one or not yet, but it would be happening soon, within the next two years or so." She looked to Regulus. "That's the one that Voldemort asks to use Kreacher for, in order to hide it." The wizard tensed, so she gently reminded him, "If he does ask for Kreacher, you've got to let Voldemort use him. Otherwise, he'll become suspicious and he may move the Horcrux elsewhere. Remember, he doesn't actually kill Kreacher."

Regulus's lips were pursed, but he nodded.

"So, Ava, how exactly do you plan on having us destroy the pieces of a dark wizard's soul?" Severus asked. "Shouldn't we let Dumbledore or the Order take care of that?"

"I've thought about that. But I think I need to go Dumbledore with proof that I'm capable of following through with my information and that it's factual before he'll trust me enough to really listen. _Without_ reading my mind." She huffed out a breath, slouching in her seat. "I haven't even thought about how I'm going to get around the fact that I'm from another world."

"Why are you so hesitant to tell the Headmaster the truth?" Regulus asked.

She sighed. "He can be quite manipulative. I don't trust him to know that about me."

"But you trust _us_?" Severus asked incredulously.

Ava smiled. "Of course."

Regulus returned her smile, but Severus shook his head. "You're too trusting, witch."

She waved him off, mumbling something about the Oaths, and shifted the conversation to how they planned to destroy the Horcruxes. For several minutes, they debated the merits of basilisk venom and Fiendfyre before the venom won out because at least they wouldn't have to worry about losing control of it.

"I can procure the venom through Slughorn, claiming it as a necessary ingredient for a Potions experiment, but it's quite expensive," Severus said.

Regulus seemed to nod to himself before saying, "I can cover the cost."

"Thank God. I was a little worried we'd have to kill the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets," Ava said, silently thanking whatever deity was listening.

Both wizards chuckled, but their expressions dropped as Ava didn't join in on their laughter.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Regulus asked, his complexion ashen.

Severus had a disturbed look about his face as he asked, "Shouldn't we tell someone?"

She shrugged. "Nah, it should be fine. It's difficult to gain access to anyway. Plus, you need to be able to speak Parseltongue."

Regulus looked at her with wide eyes.

Severus shook his head, saying, "I'm rather glad that you're on the side of the light and not the Dark Lord's."

For a brief moment, Ava considered what that alternative universe might look like. She could be the Dark Lady to a psychopathic snake-faced monster. She scrunched up her face. _Not worth all the immortality and power in the world_, she thought.

"We've got to head down for dinner," Regulus reminded them.

"Right. So, any thoughts or questions so far?" Ava asked. "I know this is a lot to take in, and I don't expect us to accomplish anything too quickly, so just think about it for now, alright?"

Both wizards nodded.

"I'll find a way for us to get into the Lestrange vault," Regulus reassured them as they gathered their belongings.

"And I'll go ahead and order basilisk venom," Severus added.

Ava walked to the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Looks of confusion overtook their faces before Severus realized and muttered, "The full moon is tonight, isn't it?"

She nodded with a grimace.

"Good luck," he said, concerning lacing his tone.

"Yeah, good luck," Regulus repeated.

She gave them a small smile before leaving the Room, heading to her quarters for a quick meal before moonrise. As she made the trek back to her rooms, Ava considered how they were too afraid to use Fiendfyre. _I know it's hard to control, but we can't be too scared to use powerful magic._ She began to rethink her plans for eliminating Voldemort and the Death Eaters. _I need to have an edge over anyone who's willing to use dark magic against me or my friends._ Approaching the door to her quarters, Ava concluded that she would need to do more research to see what useful spells she could find.

* * *

Sirius sat on the couch in Professor McGonagall's quarters, watching her ward Ava's bedroom door. Just in case the last full moon was a fluke, Ava had told him. He despised lying to Remus, but did so once again because no one was willing to explain the entire truth to him around a full moon. So, according to the werewolf, Sirius was currently serving detention, but would be joining his friends in the Shack later. Which he would, but with Ava in tow. _Bloody good thing too_, he thought. The last full moon hadn't been exactly fun for the Animagi, trying to distract Moony from heaving himself against the door with a sickening crunch over and over again. The werewolf hadn't been easily deterred and took out his frustration on his friends. Sirius was especially worried about Moony's behavior that night because of how possessive Remus had been of Ava over the past couple of days. He had practically demanded that she sit next to him at every meal, as evidenced by his audible growls when she placed herself anywhere else, and kept one of her hands fully preoccupied by grasping it in his own, unwilling to release her until they were forced to part for classes.

Sirius and James hadn't yet told Ava about letting the fact that she's Moony's mate slip out in front of Peter. Technically, they hadn't done anything wrong because it was something they had learned from Remus, so it didn't fall under the Wizard's Oath that Ava had required of them. After giving Peter the bare minimum of details, knowing that Ava would be pissed either way, he and James explained why they thought she should be in the Shack with them during the full moon. Considering that Moony had a terrible habit of chasing Wormtail around, more like a cat than a wolf, Peter overcame his surprise and readily agreed, hoping that Ava would be able to keep the werewolf tame for the night.

His attention was drawn to McGonagall when she said, "Mr. Black, you might prefer to wait outside until she's ready." Her face was etched in a mixture of concern and sadness.

Sirius tilted his head in confusion.

"I'm not willing to put up silencing wards in case Ava needs my assistance, so we'll be able to hear her during the transformation."

He thought back to their conversation the day after the last full moon. Ava had only mentioned that she could feel the transformation through her connection, but hadn't been very forthcoming on the particulars. Brows furrowed, he opened his mouth to ask the professor to explain when his keen sense of hearing picked up a sound coming from inside Ava's bedroom. _Was that a whimper?_ He listened closely, hearing the same noise just a few moments later. _That was definitely a whimper._ He sat up straight in his seat, gazing flicking from McGonagall to the door that his friend was being contained behind. "Ava told us it was painful, but didn't give us any details, professor. How bad does it get?"

McGonagall eyed him with her lips pressed in a thin line before turning her attention back to Ava's bedroom.

Sirius was about to repeat his question when a scream tore through the air. He startled, bolting from the sofa, moving closer to Ava's room. "Professor! We have to do something! What's wrong with her?"

The professor shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes. "There's nothing we can do, dear boy. We tried giving her a pain potion beforehand, hoping it would ease the pain, but it appears to not have any effect."

Another high-pitched yell pierced their ears.

_Merlin, it sounds like she's being tortured. Moony doesn't even sound like that_, he thought, gazing at the bedroom door with worried eyes. He turned back to McGonagall. "But she's not a werewolf. This—" his words were cut off by another pitiful scream from Ava. "This shouldn't be happening! She's not a werewolf!" he yelled with wide eyes, pleading the professor to do something. _Anything_.

"No, she isn't. But her magic and soul are bound to someone who is," she said.

Sirius gaped at McGonagall before charging over to the warded door. Ava was still yelling out in pain, but he had to do _something_. His throat tightened, but he managed to say, "I'm right here, Ava. You're going to be alright, you'll get through it. You've done it before. You can do it." He flinched when Ava released another ear-splitting scream and could feel tears welling in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ava, but I'm here. I'm right here. Just outside the door."

The yells of intense pains had turned into groans and whimpers, and he could just make out the rustling of clothing. Inhaling deeply, he turned to McGonagall. "You can drop the wards, I can smell that she's still human and she's bleeding."

"Oh, dear," the professor breathed out as she rapidly raised her wand and began to take down the enchantments around the door.

As soon as the door could be opened, Sirius rushed into the room, finding Ava dragging herself towards the entrance, blood staining her face. He sucked in a breath, not having seen someone look so awful unless they had been in a fist fight. He bent down and gently touched her shoulder. "Hey."

She seemed to grimace before stopping her slow crawl and let out a soft grunt as she turned herself onto her back.

McGonagall crouched down. "Let me get a clear look at you," she said before clearing the blood away from Ava's face and casting a quick diagnostic spell. "You've got a small head wound, a cut on your lip, and a bloody nose. I'm going to go ahead and heal you right now, dear. Ready?"

The young witch merely groaned in response while Sirius looked on, impatiently waiting for his friend to be healed.

The professor hastily cast a couple healing spells, closing up the wounds on Ava's head and lip. As her nose was realigned, she let out a whimper, causing both Sirius and McGonagall to wince in sympathy. "What happened?" the older witch asked.

Sirius huffed. "Bloody hell, Ava. You were in here by yourself. How'd you get hurt?"

Still lying on the stone floor, she said, "One of the waves of pain jolted my body hard enough that it knocked me to the ground and I literally fell on my face." Seemingly not wanting to waste any more time, the girl began to pull herself up into a sitting position.

Both he and McGonagall immediately reached out to help Ava, but she pulled away from them.

"No!" she snapped. "I'm doing this on my own," she grit out as she turned over onto her hands and knees. "Next time, I'm laying down right from the start and demanding the softest cushions magic can make."

Sirius couldn't help but hold his hands out in the air, ready to catch Ava if she lost her balance.

She took a few deep breaths, seeming to hesitate before trying to stand. She shook her head. "Fuck it," she whispered. "Help me up. I need to see Remus."

Without waiting for assistance from McGonagall, Sirius reached out and grasped Ava's arms, yanking her up from the floor, causing a groan of pain to fall from her lips.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No worries, I'm fine," she said, before leaning onto him for more support.

The pair slowly but surely made their way to the front door under the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall. Just as they were about to step out into the corridor, she said, "Promise me you'll be careful, Ava."

Sirius could see Ava roll her eyes, but she looked over her shoulder and said, "I will, Aunt Minerva," before tugging on him to continue on their way.

Once out in the corridor, they tried to look as inconspicuous as possible in case they came across any students. Sirius had his arm wrapped around Ava, feeling her body sag against his more and more as they made their way out of the castle. "I'm sorry you have to go through that. Moony's transformation isn't even that bad."

Ava sighed. "It's whatever. Remus is probably just used to it."

He shook his head. "You don't need to keep up the tough act around me. You're allowed to feel pain, Ava."

She laughed lightly. "I don't have time to be worried about my own pain when I can feel Remus's so acutely." She stumbled over a rock on the path out towards the Whomping Willow, but he held onto her tightly. "I just need to get there, and he'll be fine. I can feel it."

They only walked about another twenty feet or so when one of Ava's legs gave out, causing Sirius to let out a frustrated huff of air. "Just let me carry you," he said.

"I'm fine," Ava ground out around her clenched jaw.

He stopped walking. "C'mon, we'll get there faster if you let me carry you."

Ava groaned and looked at him warily. "Are you sure?"

Sirius roved his eyes over her face. Her cheeks were flushed from exertion and a sheen of sweat coated her skin. _This is all my fault. Mine and James. She shouldn't have to go through this._ "Please," he whispered, unable to stop the desperation leaking into his tone. "Please let me help you. It's the least I can do."

"Okay," she mumbled, and the fight seemed to leave her body as her shoulders slumped.

"Thank Merlin," he said as he held onto Ava's shoulders and scooped his other arm behind her knees, lifting her from the ground. She settled into his arms and let her head rest against his chest. "See? Not so bad, is it?" he asked with a smile.

"I suppose not," she said, rolling her eyes. "Can you hurry it up? I want to see Remus."

"Yes, Lady Ava. To your knight we shall go," he announced in a deep voice, marching towards the hill just before the Whomping Willow and entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

Ava giggled. "Thank you, Sirius."

"Of course," he said, his previous guilt returning full force, weighing down his shoulders. "Whatever you need."

* * *

Ava stood at the top of the stairs in the Shack, in front of the door that would lead her to Moony, Prongs, and Wormtail. Her magic was insistently pushing her towards the bedroom that contained the werewolf and Animagi. She glanced down at Sirius, now transformed into a fluffy, black dog, and quickly ran through the comments that he had made in the tunnel leading to the dilapidated house. _I need to be calm. Submissive_, she thought with a pout forming on her face. _Moony will likely want to rub his scent all over me, especially because I smell like Sirius now._ She nodded to Padfoot and looked at the door separating her from her soulmate. _I can do this. Moony's already met me and liked me. It'll be fine. I'll just_—. Her thoughts were silenced when a howl reverberated through the house, settling in her bones. _Remus_. The sudden noise from the werewolf hadn't frightened her, but spurred her on. The call from the wolf was beautiful, but tinged with sadness. _He needs me_, Ava thought just as her magic flared behind her ribs, desperate to reconnect with her soulmate.

With a bark and nudge from Padfoot, she reached out and grasped the door handle as quietly as she could. They didn't want to risk Moony hearing her and possibly ambushing them and propelling himself out of the room. With a last look at the large dog by her side, Ava barreled through the door and slammed it shut behind her as soon as Padfoot was clear.

Once again, Ava faced the enormous sandy werewolf, but this time she wasn't afraid. Her magic settled instantly upon seeing her mate and she smiled, thankful to be in his presence.

Moony greeted Padfoot amicably at first, but then must have scented her out because he turned to growl at the smaller canine, herding him away from where Ava was standing, still pressed up against the wooden door. The massive wolf turned his flashing amber eyes on Ava, causing her to suck in a breath. _He's gorgeous_, she thought, mesmerized by his gleaming eyes and smooth coat. _I don't think I noticed before._ Moony stalked towards her, smelling the air furiously. He blew out a breath through his nose, then pulled his lips back and growled in Sirius's direction.

Not wanting to let the situation get out of hand, Ava spoke quickly. "He helped me."

The werewolf peered at her curiously, taking another few steps forward.

She smiled. "Hey there, Moony." Hearing his name, the wolf's ears perked up. "Padfoot was only helping me get to you, so be nice," she said in a stern voice.

He tilted his head, then glanced at the Animagus before turning back to Ava. He closed the distance between them without hesitation.

A little startled by his quick movements, she slowly held out a hand, but Moony brushed right past it and nuzzled into her side. His wet nose trailed over her face and neck, causing her to giggle. "Your nose is cold," she admonished as she buried her hands in his soft fur, petting him gently. Her magic thrummed in delight, grateful to be in such close proximity. She stumbled slightly on her feet as Moony pressed himself against her body, seemingly wanting to cover her in his scent. After dragging himself along Ava's front, the werewolf wedged his face between her body and the door, pushing her away and rubbing his giant body across her back. Laughing softly, she said, "I agree. You _must_ be thorough when marking myself as yours."

A noise of what Ava could only interpret as agreement rumbled from the wolf's chest.

Now that Moony wasn't blocking her sight of the room, she saw James and Peter in their Animagus forms standing with Padfoot on the other side of the moonlit room. She offered them a smile. "Hey Prongs, Wormtail, thanks for letting me come."

The rat squeaked while the stag seemed to nod as he pawed the ground once.

Still smiling, Ava said, "I'll take that as a 'you're welcome'."

Feeling Moony cease his movement, she looked to the side. Once he noticed her attention, he bumped his head against her arm, tail wagging. She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure how I can play with you Moony, you're kinda big," Ava said, quickly scanning the room, seeing the pile of blankets and cushions from before. She pet the top of the werewolf's head and walked over to the comfortable looking corner of the room before picking up a small pillow. "Wanna play fetch?" she asked in a high voice, trying to entice the sandy wolf. Movement caught her eye, and she saw that Padfoot had perked up too, so she grabbed another pillow with a huff of laughter. Ava guessed that the room was somewhere between twenty and thirty feet wide. Just small enough for her to throw the pillows across it and just big enough for the canines to scamper over to them, expending some of their energy. Prongs and Wormtail acted as spectators for the most part, but were occasional obstacles to the pillows as well, not wanting to miss out on the fun. Eventually, she stopped, letting the slobbery cushions rest where Moony and Padfoot dropped them in front of her. "My arms are tired, boys. But I'm sure your friends want to play," she said, pointing at the stag with a rat sitting atop his antlers.

Immediately, Moony bounded over to his Animagi friends and Padfoot followed along. They all played together for a while, chasing one another around the room, sometimes using Ava as a shield, before Moony decided to settle down. He padded over to where she had made herself at home amongst the cushions and cuddled up next to her after turning in a circle. As she repeatedly threaded her fingers through his fur, Ava could feel their magic mingling, causing a pleasant tingle to start in her fingers and branch out through her body.

Padfoot hesitantly made his way over to Ava and attempted to discreetly snuggle up against her other side, but Moony was vigilant and reached his head across her lap, baring his teeth and letting out a low warning growl.

She chuckled. "Sorry, Padfoot," she told the retreating Animagus as he looked for another sleeping spot. She looked down at Moony, who left his heavy head resting atop her thighs. "You should learn to share. He's my friend too," she scolded the werewolf. Ava felt slightly guilty when his ears fell back, but he perked right back up when she continued to stroke his fur. "Goodnight guys," she said while burrowing herself deeper into Moony's side and the surrounding cushions. Within a few minutes, the whole group was fast asleep.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I added a little bit of Ava's POV to the end, so here's the updated version of chapter 31
> 
> Here's a short chapter to hold you over for the weekend. Enjoy! :)
> 
> Thank you for all of the kudos! And feel free to let me know what you think in a review :)
> 
> Review shout-out: BlinkyTheClown, thank you so much!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 31**

Remus woke, gradually coming to his senses, recognizing the scent of the Hospital Wing and his mate, Avalynn. Wanting to see her, he pried his eyes open and began to push himself up on his elbows, but felt his hand trapped. He glanced down and smiled, seeing that Ava had once again fallen asleep on the edge of his bed and was currently grasping his hand in hers. He left his fingers intertwined with hers and took several deep breaths, inhaling her pleasing and calming scent. _I hope she knows how amazing she is_, he thought. Remus could admit to himself that he would be eternally grateful if Ava was truly willing to accept a werewolf into her life, as he had never expected someone to care for him in the way that she had over the past few weeks. His friends were the best he could've asked for, but they were just his friends and Ava was his _mate_. And though his parents tried their best, he could always smell the underlying fear coming from them whenever they were in his presence. He wasn't sure he could bear to let Ava out of his life at this point. He might not have had much experience with girls besides some snogging here and there, but he was certain that someone else as perfect for him, someone as kind and strong, and equally snarky and stubborn, didn't exist.

The werewolf felt his magic agree with a flourish behind his ribs before rushing down his arm and into the hand that Ava was holding. His resulting smile dropped as his brows furrowed, realizing that his body wasn't aching as much as it usually did after a full moon. He shifted slightly in the bed, not enough to wake his mate, but enough to feel that his muscles weren't very tense or sore. Choosing to think over the discovery later, Remus peered down at Ava. The first rays of sunlight were trickling through the giant windows of the Hospital Wing, providing a modicum of light with his privacy curtains. He reached out and gently stroked her hair, enjoying the feeling of her silky mane against his skin. _Like a lioness_, he thought with a smile. Reflecting on the mutual feelings between the two of them, as well as his obvious happiness at finding Ava with him upon awakening, Remus decided that he wanted to explain the connection between them as soon as possible. He wanted to make sure that Ava understood their relationship for what it was before it grew any deeper. He mentally scoffed. _Like I could pull myself back now. I can't resist her._ His hand stilled on her head. _How do I even start that kind of conversation?_

Remus didn't have much time to panic as Ava stirred in her sleep before opening her eyes and lifting her head to look at him. "Remus," she whispered with a drowsy smile.

"Avalynn," he said, noticing that her magic sent a wave of delight tinged with pleasure through their connected hands.

"How are you feeling? Madame Pomfrey said you weren't too banged up."

"I actually feel pretty good. Not amazing, but better than usual." Though the worst of the aftermath from the transformation seemed to have lessened, Remus could feel the exhaustion deep in his bones.

She beamed at him and gave his hand a small squeeze. "I'm glad."

They held eyes, Remus unable to look away, drinking in her deep blue eyes. His gaze drifted downward, looking at her full lips demanding to be kissed, and her slender neck. _Claim mate_, Moony told him. The thought brought Remus out of his daze and he said, "I think we should have our talk now."

Ava's eyes widened. "Yeah? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Um, okay. Just—just let me make sure no one will hear us," she said before pulling her wand from her robes and casting a spell he didn't recognize. _Muffliato_. She must've read the curiosity in his expression because she said, "It's a silencing spell. It basically creates a bubble around us that makes anyone trying to listen in just hear a buzzing noise."

He nodded in understanding, realizing that she had definitely used that spell around him before. Remus rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "So, you know that I'm a—a," he began before his voice escaped him.

Ava gave him a warm smile. "A werewolf? Yes, I know that you're a werewolf, and that doesn't bother me or anything just so you know. I don't think less of you for it. If anything, you've earned my respect and admiration for being able to handle the monthly transformations and continue going to classes on the days that you think you can manage around the full moon. You've got to be strong to do that. Mentally and emotionally." She glanced down at his chest and arms before looking back into his eyes. "And physically," she added with a wink.

Both Remus and Moony were stunned. No one had ever presented his curse to him like that before. _Not a curse_, Moony growled. _No, maybe not. She doesn't seem to think so_, Remus said to his wolf. He reached out with his other hand to hold both of Ava's small ones in his own. "Thank you for being so kind to me. I'm not sure that I deserve it, but thank you."

Ava pursed her lips, appearing ready to argue.

He interrupted whatever she was about to say. "And don't think I missed that last comment either, Ava." They gave each other a heated look and desire coursed through his entire body. He smirked. "Glad to hear you admit it aloud though."

She raised a brow. "What? That I want you?"

His smirk dropped, feeling his heart race.

She leaned closer. "I can admit that your touch drives me wild and all I want to do is get you naked and see if I can do the same."

Remus let out a low growl as he reached forward and pulled Ava onto the bed, sitting her sideways on his lap, and pulling her lips towards his with a hand on either side of her face. She let out a needy whine and pressed her chest against his, spurring on his actions. _Merlin_, he thought. _The noises she makes_. He coaxed her tongue with his and nibbled on her bottom lip just as she covered one of his hands with her own and slid it down so that he was cupping her breast.

Taking the hint, he worked his hand inside her robes and squeezed her gently through her shirt, forcing a soft moan to fall from her lips.

"I adore the sounds you make when I touch you," he said, breathless.

She continued to kiss him fervently as she shifted on his lap, moving to straddle him.

His hands stilled on her breast and back, embarrassed that she would feel the obvious hardness in his pants. But that thought disappeared instantly, as Ava ground herself down onto him. The hand on her back slid further down to grip her ass, going along with her movements, pressing her warm core against himself. He pulled away from her mouth, needing air, but peppered kisses on her cheek, moving to her neck.

_Claim mate_, Moony urged and Remus began to comply, nipping at her neck in preparation and soothing it with his tongue, as one of Ava's hands held onto the back of his head.

"Remus," she pleaded. "I need you to touch me."

He growled, leaning forward onto his knees and laid Ava back on the bed, with her legs cradling him.

Her eyes were wide and cheeks flushed.

_Mate with her_, Moony demanded.

Remus stilled, glancing down to see Ava waiting in anticipation. His thoughts flew rapidly. _This isn't right. I can't _claim _her. We didn't even finish talking! She doesn't know that she's my mate._ He blinked a few times and shook his head, as if he could rid himself of the desperate need to be with Ava.

She frowned. "Remus? Is everything okay?" she whispered, reaching out a hand to cup his cheek.

"Um, yeah. I mean, no. Not really."

Ava pulled away and sat up on the bed as he did the same. "What is it?" she asked and he could hear the hurt in her tone.

He quickly grasped her hand. "It's nothing you did. I just think we were getting a little ahead of ourselves there. I mean, we didn't exactly finish our conversation."

Her eyes widened briefly before she frowned. "We didn't?"

"No, there's more than just me being a werewolf."

She nodded. "Okay, so let's finish talking then." Her eyes glanced around them before she broke into a smile. "I guess it's a good thing one of us was still thinking straight. We almost had sex in the Hospital Wing."

The corners of his mouth twitched, wanting to smile, but he was too busy fighting the urge to pick up where they had left off. Apparently, Ava just mentioning sex turned him on.

"Oh my god!" she whispered. "Could you imagine if Madame Pomfrey had walked in on us?"

He gulped with wide eyes. "No."

She laughed and gave his hand a soft squeeze. "Well, when we _do_ decide to have sex, I have a much better place in mind."

He quirked an eyebrow, but she shook her head with a smile.

"You'll find out soon enough," she told him with a smirk.

He let out a huff and clenched the fist that wasn't currently attached to Ava's hand, concentrating on the fact that it was _not_ okay for him to take her right there on the hospital bed.

"Anyway, what else did you want to discuss?" she asked.

He swallowed his desire and focused on her voice and face. "Well, you know I'm a werewolf," he began hesitantly. "Do you know anything about werewolves?"

She nodded. "A bit. Is this about the connection we have?"

His eyebrows raised. "Can you feel it?"

"Yeah, our magic seems to like each other quite a bit," she said with a smile.

He ran a hand through his hair. "It's more than that though, I'm afraid." He averted his eyes, unable to say his next words to her face. "You're my mate."

He felt a tug on his hand, pulling his attention back to Ava.

She was frowning deeply. "Why do you sound disappointed? _Are_ you disappointed?" she whispered. "Do you not like me that way? I thought you did."

His jaw dropped, mind not really processing her words until she began to pull away from him, moving to stand. "No! Of course not! I mean, yes, but no."

Ava snatched her hand from his and stood, hands on her hips.

"I'm fucking this up, aren't I?"

She gave him a sharp nod. "And I'll be leaving now if you don't explain."

"I meant 'no', I'm _not_ disappointed. How could I be disappointed with you, Ava? You're incredible." He took the blush that graced her cheeks as a good sign and continued. "And I meant 'yes', I do like you that way. Very much so. You mentioned earlier that I drive you wild? Multiply that by a million, and that's how I feel about you."

She was biting her bottom lip around a smile. "Yeah?"

"Yes." He stood toe to toe with her. "I only sounded upset because I was worried about how you would feel about being my mate."

"Oh," she said, dropping her gaze.

He gently tilted her chin up to see her eyes. "Are _you_ disappointed?"

Her eyes widened minutely before transforming into a glare. "Absolutely not, Remus Lupin. You're outta your damn mind if you think I'm not loving every second of this."

His brows disappeared into his hair line.

"I—I mean," she stammered, causing him to smile.

He leaned forward and cut off her words with a chaste kiss. "I love every second I spend with you too."

She smiled for a moment before furrowing her brows. "So, is this the conversation? You're a werewolf and I'm your mate and our magic made a connection?"

He nodded.

"Okay," she said, before giving him a quick kiss. "I know that you're in better shape than normal, but I think you should still get some rest. I know Madame Pomfrey will be checking on you soon enough."

"You're sure that you're okay with this?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Remus, I'm sure."

He dropped his hands from her face after nodding once. "I'll see you later, then?" he asked.

"Of course." She flashed him a smile before turning and slipping through the privacy curtain.

Climbing back into the bed, he repeated their interaction in his head. _That actually went rather well. I can't believe we nearly had sex right in the middle of the Hospital Wing_, he thought with a blush blossoming on his cheeks. The reminder brought his thoughts to a halt, realizing that he didn't quite know what having a mate entailed. _I'll go to the library as soon as I can. Moony, I'll be needing your help with this._ In the back of his mind, Remus could hear the wolf release a grumble of agreement. _Thanks for the vote of confidence_. Figuring that he should get back to sleep, he laid down and closed his eyes. It was quite some time before he succumbed to exhaustion, mind too busy imaging what his mate looked like beneath her robes.

* * *

Avalynn leaned against the closed doors of the Hospital Wing, smiling to herself. Remus really did want to be with her. Her nerves flitted like butterflies. _Now it's my turn to tell the truth_, she mentally grumbled, pushing herself off the wooden doors and heading down the corridor to the Great Hall for breakfast. Though she might come to regret wasting the opportunity just now to explain her side of the story to Remus, she wanted to have Sirius and James with her. _To help soften the blow_, she told herself, but there was a small voice that whispered "_coward_." Ava shook her head, as if to convince herself that it wasn't true. As she made her way to the dining hall, her new found elation transformed into guilt and fear, gnawing at her insides. _Maybe I should've just told him. But what if he didn't believe me? That's why I need James and Sirius there too. So they can explain why everything happened the way it did. _She bit her bottom lip in deliberation. _What if Remus thinks being soulmates is too much? No, he wouldn't. He'd still be happy. Right? _With a deep frown, she entered the Great Hall, eyes darting to the usual spot the seventh year Gryffindors sat during meals. Ava let out a relieved breath at the sight of the boys, wanting to tell them about her talk with Remus as soon as possible. As long as they agreed with her, she'd be telling Remus the complete truth in the Room of Requirement that night.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I have a feeling this is the chapter that everyone's been waiting for :) I needed some more time to figure out exactly how I thought this chapter should play out, and it turned out to be quite lengthy. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has left kudos or comments for this story! It's awesome!
> 
> Review shout-out: BlinkyTheClown and cordeliaseams Thanks! :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 32**

Later that same night, Avalynn found herself pacing in front of the fireplace that the Room of Requirement had created along with a coffee table, couch, and a set of comfy looking over-sized chairs. The witch's nerves were wearing on her as she and James waited for the arrival of Sirius and Remus. It was time to tell her soulmate the truth. She fiddled with her fingers as she wore a hole in the carpet, the sense of dread increasing every moment. _What if he doesn't ever forgive me for lying? What if he thinks we're making it all up?_ Ava froze in place and whipped her gaze to James lounging on the sofa. "What if he doesn't believe us?" she squeaked out.

The wizard rolled his eyes. "Of course he's going to believe us. We're his best friends. We wouldn't mess about with something this serious."

One of her brows inched up as she crossed her arms. "Oh, really? You and Sirius 'wouldn't mess about with something this serious'? How about something as serious as a spell that connects soulmates? Sound like something you'd mess about with?" she hissed.

James's eyes widened slightly and he raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I've already told you, but I'll say it again. I'm sorry. Both of us really are sorry, Ava."

The hurt lacing his voice softened her anger, causing her to sigh. "I know. I'm sorry. I forgave you and Sirius forever ago. I'm just kinda freaking out."

James stood from his seat with a scoff. "You don't say." He walked over to Ava and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Everything's going to be just fine. Moony really likes you, and I mean both the man and the wolf. Just take some deep breaths. You're going to be fine."

Ava nodded while breathing slowly, in and out. _In…and out…in…and out_, she repeated to herself as she peeked around James to take a look at the door.

He chuckled and stepped away, dropping his hands. "They should be here soon."

She stayed silent, eyes glued to the door while she continued taking slow, calming breaths. _He's right. It'll be fine._ The door knob jiggled. Ava startled and her fingers dug into James's arm. _Nope, nope, nope, I'm not fine. This is not fine. He's going to hate me. He'll never speak to me again._

The door swung open, revealing a grinning Sirius followed by Remus, whose wide eyes were darting all over the room. "What the hell?" the werewolf asked.

Sirius laughed. "I told you, mate. It's a secret room that Ava…found." He must've seen the worry in her eyes because his smile vanished. "Hey, Moony, why don't we sit and have our chat with Ava and James and then we can talk about the Room?"

Remus stopped his inspection of the Room and connected eyes with Ava before walking over to her.

She released James and grasped her soulmate's hand instead. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hey," he said before leaning down to give her a quick peck on the lips before gently nuzzling her cheek.

Regardless of how much Ava's magic urged her to explore Remus's hard body with her hands and mouth, she pulled back from him with a weak smile. "C'mon," she said. Their magic fizzled and danced across their connected hands as Ava led him towards the couch. James and Sirius had taken their seats in the chairs and gave her expectant looks when she remained quiet. Nodding to herself, she turned to Remus and began wringing her hands in her lap.

The werewolf chuckled, glancing between Ava and the boys. "What's going on? Is this an intervention?" he joked.

Ava tried to smile, but she was sure it came out more like a grimace. Especially when Remus's expression dropped and his green eyes showed concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he reached out to hold her hands.

"Maybe we should start with the Wizard's Oath?" James suggested, drawing Remus's attention before he looked back to Ava.

"What in the name of Merlin would we need a Wizard's Oath for?" he asked.

Ava gulped, glancing at the boys with wide eyes. James offered her a warm smile and Sirius nodded, seemingly encouraging her to get it over with. She took a deep breath and squeezed her soulmate's hands. "So, there are some things that you don't know about me. Things that I want to tell you because I think you should know the truth."

His brows furrowed. "Okay, but why are James and Sirius here?"

"I thought they might be able to help me explain. And, honestly, I'm worried that you won't believe me," she said, dropping her gaze to her lap. Feeling his hand cup her chin, Ava hesitantly lifted her head. She felt like Remus was looking into her very soul, her magic shivering in delight.

"I'll believe you. You can tell me anything," he said.

"So, you know that I arrived to Hogwarts in the Shrieking Shack and—" she began, interrupted by the loud clearing of a throat.

"The Oath?" Sirius prompted with raised brows.

Ava's mouth hung opened. _I can't believe I almost forgot that_, she scolded herself. She turned back to Remus. "I need you to swear on your magic that you won't tell anyone about what you'll learn from me," she blurted out, feeling ashamed for asking her _soulmate_ to keep her secrets when she already knew he would.

After a beat of silence, Remus retrieved his wand from within his robes and said, "I, Remus John Lupin, swear upon my magic that I will never divulge any information about Avalynn McGonagall that I learn tonight to anyone else."

She let out a relieved breath, glad the demand that he take an Oath hadn't turned into an argument. "Like I was saying, when I first got to Hogwarts, I appeared in the Shrieking Shack. I know that the story was that I took a portkey and it somehow messed up my journey, but the truth is that I was essentially summoned to the Shack. I didn't use a portkey."

Remus frowned. "Summoned? How?"

"Well, that would be where your best friends come in," she said with a small smile.

The werewolf looked to James and Sirius.

The boys shared a look before James huffed in annoyance. "I suppose it's _my_ family's spell." He flicked his eyes back to Remus. "Moony, Sirius and I were trying to do something nice for you, and we found a spell that my ancestors used."

"What did you do?" he growled, gripping Ava's hand harder.

She clenched her jaw to refrain from letting out a whimper of pain. "They love you, Remus. They just wanted to see you happy."

His eyes flashed to her briefly before turning back to glare at the boys.

This time, Sirius spoke up. "The spell connects soulmates. McGonagall already looked it over and explained that your soulmate would've shown up during a time of need, so our first full moon back at school, you transform, and boom. Ava."

She rolled her eyes at his casual explanation and tugged on Remus's hand to gain his attention. "What he means is, they cast the spell over the summer and figured it didn't work, but that's only because I guess the magic hadn't decided that you needed me yet. So, the connection didn't pull me here until that full moon." She reached out and cupped his cheek. "Because you needed me."

Remus leaned into her hand with closed eyes for a moment before they snapped back open. "Pull?" he asked before turning to the boys. "Summoned?" He turned back to Ava. "You mean the spell _Apparated_ you to the Shack?" he asked with raised brows.

"Basically, yeah."

"And you're my _soulmate_, not just my mate because I'm a werewolf?"

She nodded again, noticing the awed look overcome his face.

"Soulmate," he whispered reverently.

His magic reached out and brushed up against Ava's, causing a tingle of warm pleasure to race throughout her body. _Thank God. He still wants me._

But after a few moments, his eyes narrowed and he pulled his hands away from Ava. "So, you aren't McGonagall's niece?"

"Well, not really. But yeah?" Ava turned to James and Sirius. "She kinda adopted me, right?"

Both boys nodded. "Your name says Avalynn McGonagall on the map," James said.

"It does?" she asked, beaming. She looked back to her soulmate. "So, I guess it's official then. I _am_ Ava McGonagall." She poked him. "The map doesn't lie, you know."

Remus rolled his eyes before glancing at his fellow Marauders. "Is it safe to assume you've told her every one of our secrets?"

The boys looked flustered and tried to explain themselves several times, but each time they opened their mouths, they couldn't speak. Realization slowly settled in and Ava jumped, speaking quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry! James, Sirius, you both are allowed to speak with Remus about what you've learned from me." Sirius went to speak, but she interrupted. "About _me_," she added.

Ignoring Remus's questioning gaze, Ava kept her eyes on Sirius when he said, "She knows some things about us and the Wizarding World because of where she's from."

"Shit," Remus muttered, standing from the couch. "I didn't even think to ask where the spell took you from. Where are you from? America, like you told everyone?" He frowned. "That's a long way to Apparate though. Where's your family? Shouldn't you have gone back to them, or at least explained where you disappeared off to?" He turned a glare on the boys, missing the tears springing to Ava's eyes. "Did you assholes even think about that when you cast the spell? You probably pulled her out of school." He huffed. "Well, McGonagall would've taken care of that and probably her family." He glanced back at Ava's face. "Did McGonagall reach out to your fam—," he started to say, but paused, likely noticing that she was upset.

She could see Remus's deep frown through her blurry vision, but he didn't come back to her. He stayed rooted to the spot, apparently waiting for her to explain. His self-imposed distance cut Ava deeply and her magic coiled tightly in her chest, making itself smaller and smaller, as if hiding from sight. She couldn't help but relate to the feeling as she wiped the tears from her eyes. The suspicion present on Remus's face was enough to make Ava wish she could melt into the floor and disappear. She couldn't bare the thought of him leaving her, but she also couldn't bring herself to keep the truth from him any longer. She swallowed. "You might want to sit down."

Remus narrowed his eyes. "I'm fine where I am."

Her stomach sank, along with her hope. Casting a quick glance at James and Sirius, she could see sympathy in their eyes, knowing that she was in a shit position.

Sirius cleared his throat, still looking at Ava. "I can tell him, if you want."

"Tell me _what_?" Remus snapped, obviously displeased at being left in the dark.

She cracked a small smile at her Animagus friend, but shook her head. Turning to Remus, she steeled her nerves. _C'mon, just rip off the band-aid._ Her soulmate was now standing with his fists clenched at his sides, his glare flicking from the boys to her and back again. _Just tell him_, she urged herself. "I'm from another world. Or another reality or dimension or whatever. Wherever it is that I'm from, it's different from here. Magic isn't real where I'm from."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a tilt of his head, thankfully sounding more confused than anything.

"The spell that they cast pulled me from the world I grew up in, and magic wasn't real there. I didn't just live in the Muggle world, but my entire world was Muggle. Magic didn't exist."

His eyes alternated from green to amber as he frowned, trying to find words.

_Not good_, Ava thought, worried about why Moony was beginning to surface.

"So, let's say I believe there are other worlds in which magic isn't real, and that the spell was able to find you and pull you here from that world. How do you have magic then?"

She shrugged and looked to the boys, who were as clueless as her. "No idea."

It was silent for several long moments before Remus nodded. "Okay, so you're from a world without magic, and here, you somehow have magic. That's certainly not what I expected to hear, but it's not that outlandish."

She flinched. "That's not all."

He huffed out a breath. "What else is there? You're secretly a werewolf? A Death Eater?" he asked, voice raising as he paced, looking between her and the boys. "What's this other world anyway? Are you going back?" He froze in place, his back facing Ava. "Are you leaving?" he choked out, his fists trembling at his sides.

"No!" she shouted. Remus visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping.

He swiveled around. "So, what is it then? What else are you hiding from me?"

Ava wrung her hands. "Well, in _my_ world, the Wizarding World is known by everyone because of a very popular book series. A _fictional_ book series," she said with a grimace. "I know about Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic and everything because I read the books."

Remus looked utterly bewildered. His wide eyes sought out his friends, clearly not believing her.

"She's telling the truth," James said.

Sirius nodded. "It was hard for us to believe at first too, but she is."

Ava spoke, catching Remus's attention once again. "The books followed the life of a particular student at Hogwarts, but they were set during the 90's."

His eyebrows lifted. "The 1990's?"

She nodded.

"Who was the student?" he asked.

She shook her head as she said, "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I have insider knowledge on the war that Voldemort and his Death Eaters are ramping up to start within the next few years, and I know how to stop them."

He scoffed. "You're joking."

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm not joking. This is actually very serious and important. I would never joke about this. People will _die_ if I allow the time line to go on as expected."

His eyes widened. "You genuinely believe that a book you read in an alternate reality described the Wizarding World and events that are going to take place here?" He looked to his friends for support, probably thinking that she was crazy, but he found none.

"It's all true, Moony," Sirius said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "All of it. Ava knows things that could help us defeat Voldemort." He chuckled. "She knows way more than that though. She knows us. The Marauders. That's how she knew about the map, our nicknames, and how you're a werewolf."

Remus's eyes flashed to hers. "What does he mean?" he asked in a low voice.

Ava tensed at his tone, and stood, wanting to touch Remus, but as she stepped towards him, he backpedaled, keeping distance between them. She dropped the hand she had reached out to him with a frown.

"What does he mean, Ava?" he growled.

She locked eyes with him, hoping he could see the remorse etched onto her face. _I knew it. I should've told him sooner._ "There are a lot of people in this world, people who are living and breathing, who were characters in the book series." She paused to let that sink in. "So, for example, Minerva McGonagall is still a professor in the 90's, so I knew that she was Head of Gryffindor, her Animagus is a cat, and I knew she would probably be the best person for me to tell the truth to. Little things like that."

Remus shook his head. "That's not little. It sounds like you knew her well enough to trust her with your life." He narrowed his eyes and took a couple steps towards her, and she instinctively backed away from him and his stormy expression. "Were we all _characters_ in your books?" he asked with a sneer, gesturing to himself and the boys, who were now also standing.

Her mouth hung opened, unable to form a response. Ava had never heard such animosity spew from his lips before.

"Was _I_ a character?" His words were angry, but she could see the hurt beneath the surface of his face.

When she hesitated to respond, he turned to leave. "Wait! Remus, please!" she yelled, stepping forward to grasp his arm.

He wrenched himself from her hold and spun around to glare at her.

"Please, I may have known some things about you guys from my world, but it's different knowing that you're real. At first, I just wanted to help save some lives and stop Voldemort, but I didn't know I was your soulmate." She offered him a tentative smile. "Once we realized that's why I appeared and why I feel such a strong connection with you, that became important to me too. _You're_ important to me. I tried to keep away so I wouldn't be forcing the spell on you, but it was obvious you felt it too, so I wanted to get to know you better. And you _know_ me, I'm the same girl that I was yesterday, the same I was this morning. I stayed with you in the Hospital Wing because I care about you." Her voice had become more pleading as she explained, but Remus kept backing away from her, shaking his head.

"Don't," he snapped. "Don't touch me." He backed up to the door.

"Remus, please. You aren't some random storybook character to me. You're a kind and thoughtful man. You make me laugh, and blush, and forget my own name when you kiss me." His eyes flashed amber, so she pushed on. "You're intelligent and caring. And a werewolf." His gaze hardened. "Yes, being a werewolf is one of your redeeming qualities. I love Moony. He's so cuddly and playful. I love spending the full moon with him." His expression morphed to confusion, but she prattled on. "I love spending time with you and I love the way you make me feel. You don't make me feel stupid for learning magic so late in life, and you helped me feel like I belong at Hogwarts." _Holy shit, I love him_. She took a deep breath. "I love you, Remus."

His mouth dropped open as his eyes alternated between green and amber.

The silence was deafening, making Ava fidgety, but she was done speaking. She had said her peace.

Without a word, Remus spun to the door and yanked it open before fleeing into the corridor, not even casting a backwards glance to her.

Ava was numb with shock. She stood in place, eyes locked on the spot Remus had just been standing not moments before. _He left. He actually left._ She couldn't believe it. She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing them. Opening them back up, it was obvious she wasn't dreaming. "He really just left," she whispered, throat tightening. "He left me." Tears pricked at her eyes as her mind whirled back through their entire conversation, trying to figure out what she had done wrong. _But I told him the truth. Oh my God, I told him that I love him._ She gasped in pain, clutching her chest as tears spilled down her face. "My soulmate left me." She whipped around to Sirius and James, who appeared to be just as taken aback at Remus's hasty departure as she was. Her bottom lip trembled. "How could he leave me?"

Both of their expressions softened as their eyes fell on Ava, before transforming into glares. James stomped towards her, and she automatically raised her arms. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I didn't—ooph." Her words were muffled by James's shoulder as her wrapped her up in a hug. After a split second of surprise, Ava squeezed him back tightly, feeling her sorrow resurface. "I'm sorry," she repeated, crying into her friend's robe.

James pulled back, holding her at arm's length. "Nothing you said was your fault, Ava. You don't need to be sorry." He stepped away and looked to Sirius. "You got her?" With a nod from the Animagus, James turned back to her and said, "I'll see you later, I've got to go talk to Moony." Without giving her a chance to question him, he brushed past her and went out the door, closing it behind him.

Even though she doubted it would help, Ava wiped her eyes and nose. Her thoughts returned to Remus. _He doesn't want to be with me anymore._ The pain behind her ribs sharpened, forcing another gasp out of her. The magic inside her was frantic, buzzing through her body, desperately searching for something. For _Remus_, she told herself before dissolving into tears once more.

"Ava?" Sirius asked, worry in his voice and he strided over to her. "Are you okay?"

"No," she sputtered out as sobs wracked her body. "I'm not okay. He left, Sirius." She felt lightheaded and wobbly, and just as her knees gave out, Sirius caught her. "He just walked away like I was nothing. Like I'm not his soulmate," she said, blubbering into his chest.

He allowed her to cling to him and held her close, wrapping an arm around her to keep her standing. "You're not nothing, Ava, don't say say that," he said, holding the back of her head.

"I'm so _stupid_," she cried out in frustration. "I shouldn't have told him that I love him." The ache in her heart couldn't have been normal. It was as though it was being torn into pieces, like paper being slowly ripped and shredded. She could've sworn that she felt each tear across her heart within her chest. The more her thoughts focused on Remus and the fact that she likely just lost him, the more frantic her breathing became. "I can't—I can't lose him, Sirius," she gasped out.

"Hey, hey, shhhh, you're not going to lose him," Sirius whispered, running his hand over her hair soothingly.

She gulped, trying to catch her breath and nodded. "I am. I shouldn't have kept everything from him. He hates me now, and I don't blame him. I'm an awful soulmate."

Sirius tightened his grip on her and sternly said, "Stop it. Don't say that."

"But—but, it's true. Why else would he choose to walk away from me?" She laughed bitterly. "Well, run. He _ran_ from me. That can't be good." Unable to control her emotions, Ava resumed sobbing into his chest. Before she knew it, Sirius had scooped her up and carried her over to the couch, placing her gently beside him but still allowing her to bury her face against him. "I'm such a terrible person. I should've trusted him sooner, but I didn't want to make him feel obligated to me before he actually got to know me."

Even though her voice must've been distorted by her weeping, Sirius appeared to understand her words as he said, "You did the best that you could in a tough situation, Ava. Please don't blame yourself." As he spoke, he continued stroking her hair and rubbed light circles on her back. "If you're looking for someone to blame, be mad at me and James. Not yourself."

Ava lifted her head to peek at Sirius and sniffled before wiping her eyes and nose. Trying to look as fierce as possible with her puffy eyes and blotchy face, she said, "I don't want to hear any more apologies from you or James. I'm tired of it. I forgave you already and I don't blame you for anything. You had no idea that the spell would take me from my world." She continued to stare into his gray eyes until he silently nodded. "Good," she mumbled, ducking her head and allowing his ministrations to settle the waves of desperate sadness and longing that kept rising as her thoughts returned to Remus.

"He'll come around, Ava, don't worry," Sirius said, giving a brief squeeze of reassurance with his arm wrapped around her.

"Do you really think so?" she whispered.

She could feel him nod. "Absolutely. He just needs some time to wrap his head around the idea."

Ava let out a shuddering breath. "He seemed so mad. More mad than when he yelled at me in Hogsmeade." _I really hope he'll forgive me._

"He's just worried about you."

She scoffed. "Doubtful." She leaned away from Sirius and frowned, wiping the tears building in her eyes. "Why would he leave me then?"

His jaw clenched before he answered. "Because he's a silly, stupid boy who will regret his actions when he takes time to think about them later."

Ava couldn't stop her giggle. "Is that so? Speaking from experience, Sirius?"

"Something like that," he said with a smile, still running his hand over her back soothingly.

Her expression dropped and she grasped his free hand. "Thank you for staying with me." She could feel more unwanted tears gathering.

He sighed. "I hate seeing you cry, Ava. I'd do nearly anything to make your pain go away." He pulled his hand from hers and reached up to wipe away the wetness on her cheeks.

Though Remus had just crushed her heart into dust, the fact that Sirius was trying his best to help her piece it back together warmed her from the inside out. She reached up and placed her hand atop his that rested against the side of her face, having cleared it of any lingering tears. "I think everyone underestimates you," she told him with a smile.

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She patted the hand she was holding to her cheek. "This."

His eyes widened for a moment before he slowly pulled his hand back.

Ava threw an arm across his chest and hugged him tight, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're this handsome, troublemaker extraordinaire, who gives off this bad boy vibe, but you're so much more than that underneath everything. You're a loyal, caring, cuddly little puppy."

Sirius stiffened beneath her.

_Shit_, she thought. _Did I go too far? Exposing him like that? I know he doesn't like being vulnerable._

"You think I'm handsome?"

She could hear the smile in his voice and rolled her eyes. "And to think, you were doing so well, Sirius."

His resulting chuckle vibrated through his chest.

She squeezed him once more, grateful for his presence, and she earned a hug in return. The pair sat in contemplative silence for several minutes before Ava pulled away from her friend and shooed him away, claiming that she would be fine on her own to get back to her quarters later, but for now, she just wanted to be alone. Sirius begrudgingly left her after depositing a kiss atop her head, and she remained on the sofa with her knees pulled up to her chest, staring into the crackling fire, hoping with everything fiber of her being that Remus would come to forgive her.

* * *

"I love you, Remus," Ava said, looking at him with pure anguish as he continued to back away.

He couldn't breathe. _She loves me?_ he thought in wonder. _No, she doesn't love me. She loves_ him. He turned on his heel and fled, not wanting to see Ava's face full of unabashed devotion for him when it was really meant for another.

He bolted down the corridor, ignoring the sharp pain in his chest and the lonesome whine from Moony. He shook his head. _No, she doesn't love us_, he tried to tell his wolf. _She's in love with the idea of some character from a book._

Moony clearly didn't agree as he growled in response. _Mate_.

Remus shook his head again.

_Our mate_, Moony snarled, before pacing and making his presence more known.

Remus took a few deep breaths as he slowed to a walk. He had noticed recently that he didn't always have the tightest leash on his wolf, especially when it came to Ava. Moony was becoming more restless, rising to the surface, probably vying for the opportunity to claim the witch he believed to be his mate.

Moony snapped his jaws and bared his teeth at his human. _She is our mate._

He ignored his wolf as he ducked behind a tapestry, hoping to evade James and Sirius, who would no doubt chase after him. Remus paced in the confined space as his thoughts and feelings raced, one always pulling ahead of the other. _She lied to me. She's been lying this whole time. But I suppose she had a good reason to. I mean, I barely believe it. I can't believe she's from another world…I can't believe she loves me._ He growled aloud. _Not me. Some other Remus Lupin that she thinks she knows._ Even though he was currently struggling to accept it, Remus knew that the connection he shared with Ava was real. He knew deep down that they were meant for each other. She set his skin on fire from a mere touch, and his magic came to life around her. Wanting to swirl and play, but also wanting to caress and pleasure. _I think I love her_, he realized with a shock. He stood still for a moment, wide eyes peering into the darkness of the alcove.

Remus was so absorbed in his thoughts that he startled when someone whipped open the tapestry. He looked over to see James staring him down with a murderous glare, cast in a blue hue from the light at the tip of his wand.

James tucked away the map as he stomped the few feet separating him from the werewolf. "You fucked up, Moony," he scolded.

Remus hung his head. "I know. I shouldn't have left." He glanced back up to see his friend standing with his arms crossed and brows raised.

"And?"

He frowned. "And—I'll apologize to her?"

James nodded sharply. "And?"

Remus's frown deepened. "And—I'll make it up to her?"

His friend nodded once again. "And?" he repeated.

Patience wearing thin, Remus clenched his jaw. "And what, James? What else would you have me do?"

The other Marauder rolled his eyes. "Look at it from her perspective, Remus. The guilt from lying to you ate away at Ava and when she finally tells you the truth, you vanish. You ran away from the truth of who she is, not wanting to deal with it. Which I can understand, it's a lot to wrap your head around."

Remus opened his mouth to speak, but James cut him off.

"But, then, in the process of trying to stop you from leaving, she admits another truth to you. That she loves you," he said, voice turning hard as stone. "She's in love with you, and you ran like a scared little boy."

"No," Remus growled, clenching his fists. "She doesn't love me, James. She only cares about this other Remus—this _character_ of Remus Lupin. She doesn't know me. She doesn't love me."

He could see the anger deflate from James. "Moony," he groaned in exasperation, running a hand through his messy black hair. "It's not like that at all."

"It's not?"

James shook his head. "No. Ava's very aware of the difference between the stories from her world and us all here as real people. You weren't there when she realized the truth, mate. It hit her really hard." His voice took on a hint of admiration as he added, "She's fiercely protective of us all."

Remus frowned and went to question him further, but was interrupted by light streaking into the alcove from someone pulling the tapestry back.

* * *

Sirius warred with himself as he stalked down the corridor. _I shouldn't have left her in such a state_. He shook his head. _That's what she wanted though._

He was nearly to the Gryffindor common room when his sensitive hearing picked up the familiar tones of James and Remus. He followed the sound to a cut out of the castle wall that he knew was hidden behind a tapestry. Knowing that Ava was feeling better already than when Remus initially left the Room, Sirius's anger towards the werewolf had simmered. He pulled the hanging decoration back, intending to tease his friends about a late night rendezvous, but the moment he saw Remus's upset and guilt ridden face, his rage returned full force. Without uttering a greeting, he marched forward while pulled back his arm, and punched Remus in the face, making his lip bleed. "You left her," he snarled.

Both James and Remus looked at him in shock. As James began to say something, Sirius ignored him and threw another punch at Remus, landing a hit that split open skin at the edge of his eyebrow. "You are an utter arsehole, Remus. Ava is your fucking _soulmate_, and you just left her in there."

The werewolf's eyes flashed amber briefly but he stayed silent and dropped his gaze.

The lack of response pissed Sirius off further. He shoved Remus against the stone wall and placed an arm across his friend's chest, pushing it up so that Remus was forced to look at him. Sirius held his arm in place and added a little pressure, pressing against the werewolf's throat. Ignoring eyes that alternated between green and amber, Sirius spoke with steel in his tone. "She feels horrible enough as it is, lying to you all this time, feeling like she's forcing herself on you, losing her family and friends, and dealing with the upcoming war on top of it, and what do you do? You abandoned her right after she poured her fucking heart out to you. Do you even realize how lucky you are to have someone like her love you? She's one hell of a woman. Yeah, she might have some secrets, but she's loyal and funny and caring. She didn't deserve that."

James must've assumed that he was done because his friend tried to pull him away from Remus, who was still forced against the wall. However, Sirius didn't budge. He wanted to make the situation very clear to the werewolf first.

"You broke her heart, Remus, and you better go back there and at least try to pick up pieces, or so help me Merlin, I'll do it myself. If she were mine, I'd _never_ treat her like that."

Remus's eyes turned amber as he growled, finally struggling against Sirius's hold.

He dropped the werewolf and backed off, putting some distance between them.

"You stay the hell away from her, Sirius," his friend said in a low voice, clenching his fists.

He smirked. "As I see it, Moony, Ava's up for grabs if you aren't claiming her as your soulmate."

Remus stepped closer to him, eyes remaining a glowing amber. "She's _mine_."

He wasn't threatened and merely raised an eyebrow. "Is she? Then what are you doing here? She's hurting real bad right now, and needs you, but here you are," he said, gesturing to the space around them.

Remus's eyes reverted to their usual green before he dropped his gaze. "She's hurting _because_ of me. She wouldn't want to see me."

Sirius scoffed. "Of course she does." Remus frowned at him, not moving, so he shooed him with his hands. "Go back to the room. Walk in front of the door three times, and think about how much you want to see Ava and apologize to her."

"I don't think—" Remus started, but Sirius nudged him towards the tapestry.

"Go. You need to be there for her now, or you might lose her, Moony."

Remus's eyes flickered between amber and green as they roved over Sirius's face. His expression softened as he released a breath. "Thank you, Sirius."

He nodded sharply. "Go."

Remus looked to James and then back to Sirius. "See you later." He peeked out into the corridor before leaving, heading towards the Room of Requirement.

"What the hell was that, Sirius?" James asked.

He shrugged. "I had to get him to go back to her somehow. She needs him right now."

It was silent for a few moments before James spoke. "Would you really have gone after Ava if Remus hadn't?"

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know." He sighed. "Probably."

James whipped his head to look at Sirius with wide eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, mate," he groaned. "I won't come between Moony and Ava if that's what you're worried about. I just didn't want her to be alone. She was really upset, James. I could barely stand to see her like that, I would've done anything to fix it."

Understanding dawned in James eyes and he nodded. "Let's go wait for Moony," he said before pulling out the map to check that the corridor was clear.

The two made their way towards the Fat Lady's portrait, and James looked over the map once again. "I don't see either of them on here, so they must be in the Room."

"Good," Sirius said before giving the password to the painting and stepping into the common room.

* * *

Ava was curled up, laying on her side, vision filled with the hypnotic flames flickering in the fireplace. She blinked hard a few times, realizing she was going to be seeing spots for days if she didn't peel her gaze away from the fire. With a sigh, she shifted slightly, looking at a bookcase that appeared a couple minutes ago after Sirius had left. _Maybe the Room senses I need a distraction_, she thought as she reached for another tissue to wipe her runny nose. Ava was certain the room could sense not only things that you wanted, but also those that you needed, considering the box of tissues had appeared as soon as she had bursted into sobs once more after Sirius had reluctantly agreed to give her some space.

Her thoughts drifted to the dark caves of despair in her mind, forcing her to plan for a future without Remus. She would need to talk to Severus about brewing the pain potion again since she wouldn't be spending time with Remus any longer. She assumed he didn't want her after lying about her identity. _Not to mention, he's probably freaked out at the idea of me knowing things about him without actually knowing him as a person._ She was surprised by her magic's reaction to the werewolf's quick exit. Apart from when he first left, it hadn't flared up painfully again, but settled within her bones as a dull ache. With a despondent sigh, Ava decided the feeling wasn't the worst thing in the world when her focus needed to be on changing the time line. She knew that was more important than how much she longed to be in Remus's arms.

She sniffled as her magic tingled a little, stirring within her chest, causing her to frown. "What now?" she groaned aloud to the Room.

A throat cleared from behind her, and she startled with a scream, tumbling to the floor.

"I'm sorry! Ava, are you alright?" Remus asked, scampering around to the front of the couch. He crouched down to the ground only a foot or so away from her, eyes flashing between amber and green. "I'm sorry for scaring you, I didn't mean to."

She was unable to hold back the patented Snape sneer. "Oh, is that all you're apologizing for?" He lifted a hand towards her, but she snatched herself out of his reach and stood. "Don't worry, I'll be on my way," she said, wiping the remnant of tears from her face. She tore her eyes from his and looked to the ground, refusing to see his remorseful expression for fear of her resolve crumbling.

"That's not all I'm apologizing for. I want to apologize for everything. All of it. I shouldn't have left like that, I should've stayed and we could've talked through everything."

Eyes still boring a hole into the ground, she mumbled, "It's fine," and moved to leave.

Faster than she liked, Remus moved in front of her, his chest crowding her vision as he blocked her path. She huffed out a breath of annoyance and sidestepped, moving to go around him, but he stepped with her.

"Part of why I ran is because I'm worried that your feelings are all for this fictional Remus that you've built up in your head."

She whipped her head up to glare at him. "My feelings are not confused. I know what I feel." She reached out and placed her hand flat against his chest. "This soulmate connection that we share is _real_," she said firmly. "Now, if you'll excuse me." She shuffled to the side, intending on leave the Room, but once again, he moved with her.

"Ava, please wait," he said.

Staring at his chest, she blinked back tears, recalling how she had asked him the same before he ran from the Room. She didn't say anything, but she didn't move to leave.

"I know I shouldn't have questioned your feelings. I know what we share is real. I've just never had anybody care for me like you do. I assumed it was too good to be true."

She sighed and tilted her head up to look at him. Her eyes quickly drank in the sorrow and guilt etched onto his face, and she made note of the bruises and blood on his face, determined to ask about them later. She reached up to cup his cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin what we had."

Remus inhaled deeply and nuzzled into her hand. "You didn't," he said in a low voice.

Her brows furrowed slightly upon realizing that his eyes had been solid amber and remained so as he kissed the palm of her hand and threw a heated gaze her way.

Laughing under her breath, which the werewolf didn't miss if the confused tilt of his head was anything to go by, she ran her fingers through his sandy hair. "Moony?" His head seemed to perk up. "Moony, can I speak to Remus?" He let out a soft growl. "I'm not asking you to leave entirely, I'd just to talk with Remus for now." She smiled as he leaned into her touch. "Trust me, I don't want you going anywhere."

After another look from the amber eyed wolf that left her feeling naked and wanting, Remus blinked a few times and his eyes were their usual green once again. He rose his brows. "How'd you do that? How'd you know Moony was a part of me like that?"

Ava continued to thread his soft hair between her fingers. "I know some stuff, remember?" She gave him a weak smile before pulling away from him.

He grabbed her hands in his before she could move away. He sighed. "As much as I didn't show it, I appreciate you telling me the truth earlier. I know that couldn't have been easy for you." He paused. "And it was cowardly of me to run away like I did."

"Yes, it was," she snapped. "And if you want to remain my friend, you won't do it again."

His wide-eyed look indicated that her sudden outburst must've startled him, but then confusion fell over his face. "I don't want to be friends."

Her stomach dropped to the floor. "Oh. I should've realized that," she whispered, throat burning as tears sprung to her eyes. She tried to pry her hands from his, but he wouldn't let go.

Remus looked at her with determination glinting in his eyes as he grasped either side of her face. "Ava, I don't want to be just friends. I want to be _more_ than that. If you're still willing to have me. I understand if you don't believe me right now, but I'll work for your trust and forgiveness."

"Really? You aren't just messing with me?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound as desperate as she felt.

Hurt flashed across his face before remorse settled into his expression. "Never. I'll never play with your feelings. I didn't mean to tonight either, I just—just panicked, and didn't know what else to do, I guess."

She nodded. _That's something I can certainly relate to_. "I get it."

His eyes roved over her face. "Can I kiss you?" he asked softly.

Surprised into silence, Ava slowly nodded once, feeling her heart hammering against her rib cage.

He slowly leaned down, pressing their lips together, and she sighed into his mouth. It was like coming home. She was warm and safe in his embrace and didn't ever plan on leaving. Their kisses weren't frenzied. They were slow and gentle, similar to the way his hands were holding her. As if he were afraid that she'd shatter and break from his touch. Realizing his hesitation, she pulled back but didn't step out of his arms.

"I almost feel like we need to start over. I mean, I'm still the same person, but since you know the truth about me, do you think you need to start our relationship over again?"

Remus smiled. "That's very thoughtful of you, but no. I think I still know you well enough to continue moving our relationship forward."

She returned his grin. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he repeated before leaning in for a deep kiss, coaxing her tongue with his.

The next time they surfaced for air, Ava suggested that he walk her back to her quarters for the night. As the couple made their way downstairs to her room, Remus hesitantly asked Ava about her family and friends. After a painful but necessary explanation that she couldn't ever return to her world, she launched into a discussion of her mom, dog, and best friends. By the time they had reached the entrance to her quarters, Ava had cheered up somewhat, laughing with Remus about stories of Moose getting himself into trouble.

"Goodnight," she whispered, peering up into his green eyes.

Remus pulled her against him abruptly and kissed the daylights out of her, weaving a hand through her loose hair. He nibbled Ava's bottom lip, forcing a breathless moan from her. With a chuckle, he stepped back.

She couldn't stop the pout that formed on her face if she wanted to. "Not fair."

He gave her a confident smirk, causing her magic and desire to flare. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ava. Goodnight."

Knowing she had best get herself inside before she jumped his bones right in the middle of the corridor, she said "Night, Remus," before twisting around and rushing the password out from her lips. Once inside, she slammed the portrait shut behind her and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to douse the lust that his touch had induced. "Get a grip," she muttered to herself before she pushed off the door and headed into her room to get ready for bed. Once changed, she settled onto the couch and did some homework until Aunt Minerva walked through the entrance to their rooms. Ava beamed at her as she placed down her textbook and launched into a retelling of the night's events, minus the more juicy details of their kisses, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I think I struggled with this chapter a bit because of the emotional impact on Ava and Remus. I wanted to make sure it came off right, but I also hesitated doing it to them. I felt bad for making Ava such an emotional wreck, lol


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Happy Thursday! :)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments! :D As always, feel free to let me know what you think of the chapter :)
> 
> Review shout-out: BlinkyTheClown!! Thanks for the critique :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 33**

Avalynn's eyes roved over the parchment in front of her, looking for sentences that needed revision in her History of Magic essay. A stifled giggle drew her attention and her gaze flicked over to Benedict and his friends who had once again joined her for a study session with Severus and Regulus. They had needed to push two tables together to have enough room for the six of them, and thankfully they still had another empty spot for Barty when he arrived shortly after they had settled in. A small smile broke out on her face as she watched the first-year Slytherins laughing before she gently nudged Benedict's shoulder with hers.

"Focus," she chided, making eye contact with each of the eleven-year olds.

"Yes, ma'am," Benedict said before ducking his head and placing his hands on the side of his face as if they were blinders.

She laughed and poked his side with her elbow.

He peeked from between his fingers at her.

"Please don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel super old," she told him while scrunching up her nose.

A giggle escaped from his mouth. "You _are_ old, Ava."

She shook her head as she chuckled and reached out to ruffle his hair. "I'll show you old, you little punk." When the boy immediately scowled and attempted to right his disturbed locks, Ava leaned back in her seat with a satisfied smile. She caught Severus rolling his eyes before he silently resumed his own work. Her eyes moved over to Barty, once again noticing conflicting emotions playing out across his face. He seemed to be at war with himself, alternating between confusion and something that she might've mistaken for longing as he watched her interact with Benedict.

Barty had been slowly coming out of his shell around her, and she walked a very thin tightrope to keep their friendship progressing positively, afraid that he would dart back into himself without hesitation if she crossed an invisible line. Ava had kept her distance, physically speaking, because the younger Slytherin didn't seem to want anyone to touch him, but now she thought to herself that maybe it was just because he wasn't used to it. This reasoning solidified in her mind as she kept an eye on Barty while wrapping up Benedict in a goodbye hug. While giving the first-year a parting show of affection, Barty watched on curiously, his quill coming to a stop. She could've sworn that a glimpse of sadness shimmered in his dark brown eyes before he shook his head and returned to scanning a book for information.

_Well, shit_, she thought to herself, stepping back from Benedict. I_ can't just shower the other kids with affection and leave Barty out. I'm trying to keep him _away _from the Death Eaters, not push him into their open arms._ Once the first-years disappeared around the corner, she swiveled back to their study table. Regulus and Severus were whispering to each other, the older student seemingly pointing out something on Regulus's parchment. Ava glanced at Barty and plopped herself down in the now empty seat beside him.

It was obvious that his entire body froze the moment she sat, so in an effort to distract him, she asked, "How's it going?"

"Just fine."

She turned to look at him, briefly noting how still he was holding himself, before she dropped her eyes to his homework. "Do you have any questions about this? Looks like you're writing about Boggarts." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod. Reaching out slowly, she asked, "Can I take a look?"

He silently placed the essay in her hand.

After a couple minutes, Ava set down the parchment and cautiously lifted her hand to pat Barty's shoulder. "It looks great." He visibly flinched at her touch, and from her angle, she could see his face and neck redden in embarrassment. Not wanting to draw further attention to his reaction, she said, "I don't know if you were planning on mentioning it, but if you eat chocolate after an encounter with a Boggart, you'll feel better."

His rigid body relaxed and he turned to her with slightly wide eyes. "Is that true?"

She smiled. "Of course it is. I wouldn't have told you wrong information."

The corners of his mouth lifted minutely before he nodded. "Thanks." His quill flashed across the page as he continued with his essay.

Ava pulled her own parchment and books from across the table, deciding to remain next to Barty. A few minutes later, she peeked over to check on his progress and spotted a minor spelling error. Keeping her movements slow, she reached out and tapped the incorrect word. Her arm brushed against Barty's, resulting in another flinch. However, this time he hadn't turned into stone at her touch, but leaned forward to get a better look at where her finger was pointing.

"Oh," he whispered before turning to her with a small smile. "Thank you again." After correcting the word he returned his gaze to her with furrowed brows. "I'm not sure what I can offer you in return."

Ava frowned. "What?" After a beat, it came to her. "Nope. I don't want anything," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm just helping you with homework. That's what friends do."

His eyes widened, looking between her and the other Slytherins at the table who had remained quiet this whole time. "But—but," he began.

Regulus held up a hand with a grin. "Don't bother questioning it Barty. This is just how Ava is. I assume it's a Gryffindor trait." He tilted his head as if in deep thought. "But it could very well be something unique to Ava."

She huffed and narrowed her eyes. "There are most definitely other Gryffindors who would help their friends too, Regulus. Not to mention anyone else in the other Houses." Glancing over at the younger Slytherin, she gently pushed her shoulder against his, drawing his attention.

He startled, but looked at her expectantly.

She leaned towards him and stage whispered, "Don't listen to him Barty, he's just jealous because I never help him."

Even though he slouched in his seat, seemingly trying to put some distance between the two of them, his body relaxed after her comment.

Regulus scoffed. "I don't need your help."

Ava raised her eyebrows while looking at Barty. "See what I mean?" She huffed out a chuckle at the resulting pout from Regulus and glanced back to the boy next to her, who was now sporting a wide, amused grin. Good, she thought, tickled pink that she was able to bring such a happy look to Barty's face.

He relaxed in his seat and continued working.

She decided not to push him too much that day, and kept her limbs to herself but stayed in her seat, close to him. Ava was hoping to gradually work her way up to a full blown hug with the kid before the week was out. Several minutes later, Barty packed up his stuff and parted from the library.

_Without a friendly hug_, she thought with a sigh. Turning back to her table-mates, Ava caught Severus and Regulus eyeing her. With a roll of her eyes, she cast _Muffliato_. "What?"

Severus raised a single brow. "You were awfully…touchy with Barty."

"Pfft. C'mon, guys. He needs _some_ sort of affection. He's practically starving for it."

"Be careful, Ava, or you'll have a young boy infatuated with his tutor," Regulus teased.

She waved him off. "I'm like that with Benedict and you don't see him walking around with a crush on me."

Severus chuckled. "That's because the little snake is far beyond a simple crush. He hero worships you."

"What are you talking about?"

"The other night in the common room, he stood up for you to some first and second-year students that insulted you for being a half-blood. The boy claimed that your blood shouldn't matter when your words and actions were the trait of a true friend."

"I don't want him to do that," she mutters with furrowed brows.

Severus scoffs. "A little late for that."

"No, really. He can't talk like that about me in front of the other Slytherins. It'll make him a target."

"Don't you think that's a bit paranoid, Ava? The kid is only a first-year. No one's going to hurt him."

_I suppose Voldemort isn't really recruiting the younger students yet. Just the seventh years and the Pureblood Slytherins like Regulus and Rabastan._ "I guess. But can you keep an eye on him? Please?"

He must've sensed her true worry for Benedict because he nodded and didn't try to placate her further. After a couple moments of silence, he said, "Speaking of which, it seems that Lucius has been keeping an eye on you."

Her brows rose. "Oh?"

"He's been asking questions about you, but I've managed to keep my answers vague thus far."

She nodded. "Okay. If you have to, you can give him little tidbits of information."

"Why would you want to do that?" Regulus asked, drawing her attention.

With a shrug, she said, "I dunno. It might appease him a bit, and then I'll have an in with him."

"An 'in'?"

She looked back to Severus. "Yeah. I'm not convinced that he'll fully support Voldemort when the time comes if he knows the truth."

Both Slytherins scrutinized her for a long moment.

She sighed. "Please, just trust me. I'm not going to put myself in danger unnecessarily, I promise. But besides Lucius, let me know whatever else you guys hear about other followers, including Rabastan."

Regulus nodded.

"By whose definition of _unnecessarily_, Ava?" Severus asked, giving her a pointed look.

She merely watched him, not having the energy to defend herself right that second.

He huffed and then changed the subject. "The Basilisk venom should be arriving within the next week or so."

She smiled. "Awesome."

"Only you would find something of that nature 'awesome', Ava," Severus snarked.

"Why thank you, bestie," she said with a beam.

* * *

At the Gryffindor table during dinner, Avalynn took her usual spot between Sirius and James, across from Remus. Outside of his more possessive days around the full moon, the werewolf didn't seem to care where she sat. The witch teased her soulmate about her seating preference, claiming that she just liked to be able to see his handsome face entirely, rather than just his profile. Despite however true that might be, Ava was truly more concerned about her self-control when she was in such close proximity to Remus. Since the conversation in the Room of Requirement when she and the boys had dropped a massive truth bomb on the unsuspecting werewolf, they had hardly any free moments to themselves to be intimate. But Ava was more than thankful of that. Since Remus acknowledged the soulmate bond in return, her magic had been more demanding, nudging and enticing her to seal their connection.

Ava took the opportunity to rove her eyes over her boyfriend from across the table. _Boyfriend_, she thought, crinkling her nose. _He's my soulmate. Boyfriend just seems so…insignificant._ She was curious about how Remus's magic was reacting to their connection, but she was hesitant to ask him, afraid to even bring up the topic at all. Their relationship seemed fragile after their talk in the Room, and while it might all be in her head, she wasn't willing to fracture it further. Ava was torn from her thoughts when James elbowed her in the ribs and inclined his head towards Lily, who sat on the other side of him.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I was asking about what year you're in for each of your classes now," the redhead said.

"Oh, well I just started in third year for Potions, History of Magic, and Astronomy. And then I'm almost done with fourth-year Defense, fifth-year Charms, and third-year Transfiguration."

Lily beamed at her. "That's incredible. You should be very proud of yourself."

Blushing, she glanced around the table to see the others nodding before locking eyes with Remus.

"She's right, you know," he said. "You're moving through the material at an impressive rate. I overheard Professor Flitwick say those exact words to Professor Slughorn."

Ava's brows shot up. _Huh, maybe I am doing alright_. No matter how quickly she devoured the curriculum, she always felt behind, playing catch up against a crazed wizard who would literally kill her if he found out the truth. _Actually, Voldemort would probably torture me for information,_ she thought with a shudder.

A question from Alice drew Ava out of her thoughts. "What about electives?"

Lily perked up. "Oh, yeah. What about those? You're in third year and up with all of your classes now, and that's when we start taking electives."

She shook her head. "Aunt Minerva wants me to wait until I've caught up to fifth year for all of the core classes first. Which ones are you all taking? Any suggestions?"

The group launched into a discussion weighing the pros and cons of each elective, already confirming Ava's thoughts. After a few minutes of debate, she said, "I think I'm leaning towards Ancient Runes. I think they're pretty interesting and that could be a useful skill." Noises of agreement rose up around the table. "Yeah, just the other day I was looking for some good offensive spells and found one, but only after translating the passage from Russian. Madame Pince would only give me a dictionary instead of casting a translation spell for me." She rolled her eyes then smiled. "But it was totally worth it."

"Yeah?" James asked around a bite of food. "What was it?"

Ava's eyes lit up as she straightened in her seat. "There's this really cool one called a Cascading Jinx that you can use to attack multiple opponents with little explosions that set off like a chain reaction. Not to mention the Entrail-Expelling Curse. Super gross, but effective. And there's another one that allows you to share magical power between casters, so you could cast a more powerful spell without exhausting yourself. I was thinking if I took Ancient Runes, then I'll be able to translate even older texts and pick up some obscure spells that could come in handy. Just think of the possibilities. Wouldn't it be awesome to create a new spell using—," she continued to ramble until Sirius cleared his throat, drawing her attention.

His face appeared expressionless, but his gray eyes bored into her, seemingly imploring her to stop talking. His gaze flicked over her shoulder.

She took in the other Gryffindors' faces, varying from concerned to unnerved. "What?" she asked cautiously.

After a few seconds of silence, Remus spoke first. "Some spells aren't taught for a reason."

She frowned. "And that would be…" she trailed off.

"Because they're dark," Frank said in a hard voice.

Ava raised her eyebrows. "Dark? I don't think so. I mean, maybe the curse, yeah, but not the others." But looking at her friends' faces, it seemed they disagreed. "Then why are those books in the library?" There was some grumbling, but no real answers. She scoffed. "So just because the spells are in Russian, they're dark? Don't be ridiculous."

"Don't be naive," Frank countered.

She slowly inched up one brow. "Excuse me?"

Remus tried to play referee. "The spells you mentioned might not be _dark_ necessarily, but they are certainly in the more…gray area."

She huffed off a laugh. "So what? Should I not learn them just because you happen to think they aren't _light_ magic? It's not like I'm using them to hurt anyone."

"Not yet," Frank said with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, Jesus. Get over yourselves."

"Must be all that time she spends with the Slytherins," Peter muttered.

Ava narrowed her eyes at the rat bastard as she felt her face flame in anger. "Speaking of which, I must be going. I've got more studying to do with those super scary, dark and evil friends of mine," she said, voice heavy with sarcasm. She reached down for her schoolbag and stood without saying goodbye, and was just outside the entrance when someone grabbed her arm.

"Ava," Remus said.

She sighed, hoping that this wouldn't be a discussion about his friends eventually warming up to her. She was all good with Lily and Alice, while the other girls remained pleasant acquaintances, but Ava wasn't sure she'd ever be friends with Frank and Peter. _I need to try harder with Peter_, she bemoaned. Spinning to face her soulmate, she tried to give him a smile.

His expression softened as he clasped her hands in his. "They just need more time getting to know you." He reached out to cup her cheek, eyes slowly drinking in her face. "You're smart and funny, and damn adorable, and I don't think it'll take much longer before they break down and see how amazing you are. There's nothing wrong with wanting to learn more either."

A storm of butterflies erupted in her stomach. "You think I'm adorable?" she whispered.

He grinned. "Of course I do."

She rolled her eyes, leaning into his warm hand. "That's just because you're my soulmate."

"No, it's because it's true," he told her with furrowed brows.

She stood on her tiptoes and pecked a quick kiss to his lips. "Well, either way, thanks for the pep talk." She moved to step away from him, but he didn't release her hand.

"I'm assuming that you're meeting up with Snape and Sirius's brother?"

"Yep."

"Can I join you?"

Ava bit her lip in contemplation. While Remus looked at her with a face full of hope, and she wanted to quell the hesitation in his voice, she didn't think it was a good idea. Severus would be truly upset with her if she invited the werewolf without a warning, and she honestly wasn't sure how Remus would react when he saw how hard the Slytherins pushed her in their duels. Every round, both parties would manage to land a spell on one another at some point, but they would push through the pain, stopping only when someone fell unconscious. Just yesterday, she had passed out from blood loss after one too many Slicing Hexes and had to be Rennervated and given a Blood Replenishing Potion that Severus had brewed specifically for their dueling practice. Ava had only just barely gotten the Slytherins to agree to ramp up their fights to make them more realistic, and she didn't want to jeopardize her recent progress. Though Severus and Regulus were reluctant to hurt her, they had conceded that her lack of preparation for a real duel, when she could very well be injured, might be detrimental in the future.

"I'd rather schedule a meet-up with you, Sirius, and James for tomorrow night," she finally said.

Remus tensed, eyes flashing amber. "Why?"

She peeked around them at the other students milling about the entrance of the Great Hall and leaned closer. "I can explain everything to you after dinner tomorrow if you guys will meet me in the Room."

His eyes flashed amber once again as he began to let out a low growl.

Placing a hand against his cheek, she said, "Remus, _and Moony_, I'll be safe with Regulus and Severus. They're my friends and would never intentionally harm me. I've been hanging out with them for weeks now and nothing's happened."

Her soulmate's eyes were still amber as he gripped her hips and yank her body to his, slamming his lips against hers. He dominated Ava's mouth and gave a soft rumble of satisfaction when she released a pleased moan.

He broke away from her, inspecting his work and taking in her flushed face and swollen lips.

With green eyes he gave her smirk, causing her to smack his chest. "You did that on purpose," she admonished.

"Well, I can't have you forgetting about your mate, can I?" He dipped his head down, giving her a chaste kiss, and stepped backwards. He flashed her a smug smile before retreating into the Great Hall.

She stood rooted to the spot, eyes trailing after Remus as a happy sigh escaped from her lips. _I wish I could kidnap him for a whole day so we could seal our bond_, she lamented. Ava shook her head and twirled on her heel, heading towards the stairs. As much as she wanted to ravish her werewolf, she knew that her magical abilities were more essential to her plan.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I know this is a tiny chapter, but I wanted to give those of you quarantined/stuck at home in a work or self mandated quarantine something to preoccupy yourselves with :)
> 
> After thinking about it some more, I'm going to switch back to posting a longer chapter once a week. I like being able to keep certain scenes together, and that way you'll be reading with a larger sense of progress each time. So, I'll be going back to that after this chapter :)
> 
> I appreciate all of the kudos and comments, thank you so much! :D
> 
> Stay smart and healthy everybody! :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 34**

"_Expelliarmus_!" James shouted, flinging the spell in Ava's direction.

School robes flapping wildly, she ducked and rolled to the side while casting a shield in case she hadn't been fast enough. She sprang up from the dueling mat and threw a Tripping Jinx back at James. Before his body hit the ground, she cast _Incarcerous_, successfully binding him in ropes. Panting and gripping the stitch in her side, Ava swiveled to face Sirius and Remus with a grin. "And that's how it's done, boys."

Both of them returned her smile and clapped as she took a dramatic bow. Sirius jogged over to James, who was still wriggling on the floor, cursing under his breath. Once the Animagus was free, he stomped over to her. "I demand a rematch."

Ava rolled her eyes. "It's not about who wins, James. I think I've proven my point, don't you?" She looked at each of the boys with raised brows.

Remus was the first to concede. "She's right."

Sirius nodded while James gave the werewolf a look of betrayal.

"She _is_ though, mate," Sirius said. "Clearly, we need to be practicing with her more if she's gotten this good." His gray eyes flickered to hers before he turned back to his friends. "Not to mention, Ava probably knows more than anyone what we're up against."

She reached out to give his hand a squeeze. "I have a feeling you've got a pretty good idea too, Sirius, considering your family." Ava made sure to keep her tone even, not willing to let him think her animosity towards the assholes of his family was directed at him.

He gazed down at her with affection in his eyes and returned her squeeze before taking his hand back to run it through his black locks. "As much as it pains me to admit it, Ava's right on that account as well. If the Death Eaters are anything like what I've seen from my family and social gatherings with some of the Sacred Twenty-Eight over the years, we need to be as prepared as possible against those zealots."

"What do you suggest?" Remus asked.

Ava glanced between the wizards and gulped when she realized that her soulmate had directed the question to her. "Me?" she squeaked.

He closed the distance between them and cupped her cheek. "Yes, Ava, _you_. I might still be having a hard time wrapping my head around the whole idea of you being from another reality, but if anything you've told us is even remotely true, then we need to heed your advice. Besides, we trust you. Right, guys?" He didn't look away from her face as Sirius and James mumbled noises of agreement. "_I_ trust you," he whispered.

Her face broke into a wide grin as her magic thrummed in delight. Ava had been so worried that the trust and bond between them had been irreparably damaged when she revealed the truth to Remus. Unable to help herself, she reached up to grab Remus's robes and pulled him towards her, slamming her lips against his. After a moment of hesitation, he moved against her and threaded his fingers through her hair. She was lost in his touch, oblivious to the two throats being loudly cleared beside them until Remus gripped her arms and put some space between them.

The amber in his eyes retreated after a few moments, giving way to their usual green as he gathered himself. Remus gave her a soft smile and trailed his fingers down her arms, linking their hands.

Ava shivered from his touch and could feel her magic and desire stirring once again. She shook her head and turned to Sirius and James to ask their opinion about her taking the lead, but narrowed her eyes at the amused expressions on their faces. The glare she sent them didn't appear to work, as they huffed out laughs just a second later. "Something funny, boys?" she asked with a quirk of her brow and arms crossed. When their laughter didn't cease immediately, she took a threatening step towards them.

Both Animagi startled, backing away from her. Sirius instinctively dove into his robes for his wand, causing Ava to reach for her own with a twitch of her lips. "You do need more practice," she teased.

He scoffed. "Give it your best shot, McGonagall."

The pair got into position on opposite sides of the dueling mat as Remus and James made their way to the sidelines.

"Ready?" Sirius called out.

She took a deep breath and nodded. Without warning, he sent red sparks in her direction, followed by a quick cast of _Colloshoo_. Knowing the sparks were likely just a distraction, Ava had cast a shield, allowing the spell that would've stuck her shoes to the floor to merely bounce off her. For a few minutes, she and Sirius circled each other, returning fire without landing a single spell. She was trying to give Sirius a chance to launch an offense, but he didn't seem inclined to do so. Huffing in frustration, she decided to up the ante by closing the distance between them. In her duels with Severus and Regulus, she had learned that wizards were most definitely not prepared for a physical attack when engaged in a magical duel.

The more ground she gained, the more panicked Sirius became. His wide eyes took in her darting form as she jumped about on the mat, dodging and casting simultaneously. He quickly shot off multiple spells, each increasing in intensity.

_Finally_, she thought as she ducked, a Slicing Hex narrowly missing her head. Wanting Sirius to realize that she was done playing nice, she returned his Slicing Hex followed by another immediately, but was knocked off her feet when he cast _Flipendo_. She struggled to breathe when the wind was knocked out of her and let out a hiss of pain just as she was climbing to her feet. Finding the source of her nerves that were violently protesting, Ava saw a bloody gash down the side of her leg, stretching from mid thigh and wrapping around her calf. Despite the stinging in her limb, she glanced up at Sirius with a feral grin. _Now we're talking_, she thought as she steadied herself and took another step towards him.

Guilt flickered across his face as he took in her injury, and his wand began to drop.

Growling in annoyance, she cast _Stupefy_. Thankfully, he managed to deflect her spell, otherwise her temper would've flared once more.

"Ava," Remus hesitantly called.

She ignored him and stalked towards Sirius with a slight limp. Not letting up, she cast another _Stupefy_, followed by a Stinging Jinx. When a pained yelp came from him, she knew she had hit her mark. "C'mon, Sirius. Is that the best you've got?" she asked, now only fifteen feet or so between them.

He rubbed his arm and glowered. "No. Not by a long shot." He broke into action, firing spells in quick succession. Faster than she anticipated.

Ave knew she couldn't maintain a shield the entire duel, so she chose to accept the Slicing and Stinging Hexes sent her way while protecting herself against the spells that would knock her off her feet. _He's pissed_, she thought distractedly while grimacing against the pain that erupted in her arm and stomach. Blood pounded in her ears, muffling the shouts of alarm from Remus and James. Her partner didn't show any signs of stopping, so she continued her assault. The stormy expression on Sirius's face morphed into fright when she cast _Confringo_, sending a fiery blast in his direction. Knowing that in actuality, her friend was a safe distance from the orange heat spewing from her wand, she didn't hesitate before throwing _Ventus_ at him as well. An unnatural swirl of wind shot towards Sirius and knocked him off his feet. Spotting her opening, Ava cast _Expelliarmus_, snatching Sirius's wand in her open hand.

Sweat dripping down her face and panting, Ava leaned forward with her hands on her knees. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, cataloging her injuries as Regulus had taught her. She concentrated on her magical core and then pushed her magic out, encouraging it to flow through her body and sense any wounds. _Just a few bloody slashes and stinging welts. Nothing too bad_, she surmised. Opening her eyes, Ava found Sirius now standing with James and Remus. All three wizards were eyeing her with various levels of shock and concern, seeming too hesitant to approach her. Her heart cracked. _Are they really that afraid of me?_ Hurt must've shown across her face because guilt flashed in Remus's eyes before he crept towards her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you," she snapped, standing upright once more with her hands on her hips. She grunted in pain, momentarily forgetting about the bloody slashes on her arm, torso, and leg that she had just stretched out.

Remus's eyes flashed amber as they roved over her body, inspecting her injuries. Once within arm's reach, he grasped her shoulders. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you? Why didn't you stop? Didn't you see that Sirius was ready to stop when his first Slicing Hex hit you?" he asked in rapid fire, shaking her with each question.

Wincing through the sting, Ava reached up to cup his cheek. "I'm fine though. I'm not dying. I'm just a little roughed up and I'll heal."

His eyes alternated between green and amber, both the wizard and wolf frowning at her as he flashed his wand and healed the large cuts and swollen red marks littering her body. "What am I going to do with you, Ava?" he whispered before pulling her against his body.

Wrapped up in his arms, she could feel her soulmate nuzzling and sniffing her hair. Trying to placate him, she leaned away and titled her head, exposing her neck. Not a moment later, Remus's head dipped to her ear and his nose trailed her sensitive skin, down to her shoulder. His mouth paused over the juncture of her neck and shoulder, giving her a nip. She startled in his hold, but the werewolf gripped her arms tightly, refusing to let her move yet. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and began pressing kisses to her skin. Even knowing that Remus was merely reassuring himself and Moony that she was safe, desire flooded her body, forcing a sigh of pleasure to escape from her lips.

A low rumble emanated from his chest. "Ava," he said in a breathless voice.

Just as she opened her mouth to whisper something naughty, Sirius shouted, "Oi! Cut that cutesy shit out you two! I'm an injured man over here. Does anyone care if _I'm_ okay?"

Ava let out a small laugh before she peeled herself away from Remus. She stepped to the side, eyeing James and Sirius. "You look just fine to me, Padfoot."

He scoffed. "Maybe on the outside, but I'm internally scarred by our duel, Ava."

Though he tried to veil it with humor, she could detect the worry lacing his tone. Taking Remus's hand in hers, she joined the boys and quickly scanned Sirius for any damage her spells might've caused. "I would never have actually hurt you, you know." She paused. "You did well, Sirius." Ignoring the scrutinizing looks from Remus and James, she pushed on. "I think we should start with you guys practicing spells you might not normally use in a duel. Or, at least ones that don't jump to the front of your mind. We need you to be able to think quickly in the heat of the moment."

"Is that why you attacked me so ruthlessly?" Sirius asked with a brow raised.

She nodded. "Like we were talking about before, we need to be prepared for the worst. That means that we _need_ to be ruthless."

"But then we're just as bad as the Death Eaters, aren't we?" James asked.

Ava shrugged. "It depends on how you look at it. From our conversation at dinner last night, it's obvious not everyone sees eye to eye with me on this, but that's fine." She made sure to look each of the wizards while adding, "But don't expect me to use only light magic. If push comes to shove, I'll do whatever it takes." Her hands had clenched into fists as she spoke.

"You seem to be taking this mission of yours personally, Ava," Remus said with a curious expression.

She shared a glance with Sirius. He was the only one other than Severus that knew the details of the prophecy, but even then, she hadn't told them the entire truth. Yes, Voldemort had chosen to target Lily and James Potter, but he could also go after the Longbottoms. Besides the threat of the prophecy, the maniac was determined to eradicate any opposition, which happened to include the majority of her friends. Of course she was taking this personally. Not to mention, even if the Marauders and everyone else had hated her, forcing her to work alone, she still would've taken action against Voldemort to change the time line anyhow. _Harry Potter will not be living in a cupboard under the stairs if I've got anything to say about it_, she thought, flicking her gaze back to Remus.

"That's because it _is_ personal, guys. If Voldemort isn't stopped, over the next twenty years or so, lots of people will die if I don't help to change things. People we know! And let's just play pretend for a second, let's say that Voldemort isn't a murderous asshole. Even without the death toll, he's prejudiced against Muggleborns and Muggles. We can't allow him to influence the Wizarding World and keep society from progressing and becoming more accepting of others," she said, voice raising the more she explained. "For crying out loud! Wizards are already prejudiced against magical creatures and werewolves, and that's a load of bullshit! We can't let it get any worse." She crossed her arms and glared, daring one of them to challenge her.

After a few moments of silence, Sirius said, "You're right, per usual."

She gave him a small smile and turned her gaze to James and Remus. Both wizards gave her sharp nods, causing Ava to release a relieved breath. "Thank you," she whispered.

Remus gently pulled her hand into his. "We're with you, Ava. Just tell us what you need and we'll listen."

She beamed at him and looked to the boys, seeing their confidence and dedication in their expressions. Ava led them over to the sitting area the Room had procured for them and gave her soulmate and two Animagi friends a basic rundown of how and when she expected them to train. She patiently answered all of their questions while reminding them that she intended to join the Order sooner rather than later, but they most likely wouldn't be able to do so until after graduation. After that brief argument had been settled with Ava's promise of staying in the background of the Order's operation, the group departed from the Room. James and Sirius made their way towards Gryffindor Tower as Remus escorted Ava to her quarters.

Standing outside her door, she made a quick decision and kissed her soulmate deeply. She pressed against his hard chest, dragged her fingers down his back, and nibbled on his bottom lip, earning a moan of pleasure from him. With a wide grin, she stepped back from Remus and took in his flushed face and dilated eyes with pride. "Goodnight," she said cheerily before spinning towards the entrance to her rooms and rushing inside.

Leaning against the inside of the door, she heard Remus say, "That minx," surprise and frustration tinting his voice.

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "Serves him right," she muttered to herself as she headed towards her room to shower and get ready for bed. Enjoying the effect she had on Remus and the resulting powerful high from being so close to him and his magic, Ava vowed to rile up her soulmate as much as possible until he finally broke and claimed her.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Feel free to let me know what you think :)
> 
> All of the kudos and comments are awesome! Thank you so much! :D
> 
> Review shout-out: BlinkyTheClown, Mackhiatto, and Amber!!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 35**

The next week flew by, keeping Avalynn busy between classes, studying, and dueling practice with both her Slytherin and Gryffindor friends. Though not at the same time. Ava had briefly considered the idea of having all of her "inner circle" train together, but she didn't think her patience was strong enough to handle Severus and James in the same room. Not to mention, she hadn't seen Regulus and Sirius friendly towards one another since her arrival and had no clue how explosive they would be if forced in a room together. _Although, I like the idea of having an Inner Circle_, she mused as she made her way to the Room of Requirement. _I'm like Voldemort, plotting and sneaking around, but with more compassion. And more nose._ Smiling to herself, Ava climbed the staircase to the seventh floor, spotting Severus and Regulus loitering in front of where the door to the Room would appear. Focusing on the task at hand, she recalled everything about Horcruxes that she could remember. Scenes of the dark objects manifesting and influencing people flashed in her mind before she shook her head. _It'll be fine. Hopefully. This _has _to work._

When she joined the wizards down the corridor, the unease was clear on their faces. Ava opened her mouth to convince them that everything would be fine. That destroying a Horcrux wasn't too difficult. But she couldn't utter any words of comfort considering she didn't actually know if the destruction of Voldemort's soul would go off without a hitch, even if it was only a small piece. Instead, she whispered, "Did you bring the Basilisk venom?"

Severus nodded, patting the outside of his robes.

"And I've got the box you asked for," Regulus said, holding up a chestnut stained wooden box that was too big to fit into one of their schoolbags.

_Thank God I learned the Shrinking Charm last week_, she thought. There was no way she was going to walk back to her quarters with a damaged Horcrux in her arms like it was just a regular occurrence. She eyed the box warily before glancing up to Regulus. "It's got protection charms on it, right?"

He rolled his gray eyes. "Yes, Ava. No one should be able to open this box or even detect what's inside. Once we've placed the…item…inside, there's a spell you need to perform so that it'll recognize your magical signature in the future. Now, can we please get on with this? It's not the best idea to be discussing such things in the corridor." His gaze flickered over her shoulder to look down the hallway.

She nodded before pacing in front of the empty wall. _I need the Room of Hidden Things. I need the Room of Hidden Things_, she repeated until a door popped into existence. Ava looked to her friends. "Let's do this," she said while turning the knob on the door.

The dimly lit Room was stuffed to the gills with junk, mountains of random objects stacked nearly up to the ceiling and the nearest mounds starting only a few feet from the entrance. The stale, musty scent of the Room permeated her nostrils. She mentally groaned, thinking about the amount of dust that was just waiting to force annoying sneezes from her. With wide eyes, Ava scanned the front of the Room, spotting everything from books, dishes, and rolled up carpets to large glass terrariums that looked like something you'd keep a Grindylow in. Ava could hear the boys muttering "Sweet Salazar" and "Shit" from behind her.

Trying to keep a positive attitude, she twirled to face them with a forced smile. "It's nothing we can't handle. We'll find it in no time."

The wizards' mouths hung open at her statement for a moment before they collected themselves and nodded, wisely choosing not to contradict her.

"Where do you think we should start?" Severus asked as he dropped his schoolbag to the floor.

She let out a deep breath while placing her bag along with the boys' near the door. "Well, I'm desperately hoping it's where I think it is. It's the diadem of Ravenclaw, so it's a crown. And it should be resting on top of a statue of a head, and we might even be able to sense it."

"Because of the dark magic?" Regulus asked.

"Yeah." She paused. "Or if you can feel your emotions becoming stronger, a bit darker, and more volatile," she said nonchalantly.

"What?" they hissed in unison.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Severus asked with narrowed, dark eyes.

She pressed her lips together before explaining. "It _is_ a piece of the _dark_ soul of an _evil_, deranged wizard created by _dark_ magic after all. Coming into contact with something like that isn't going to be pleasant. And I'm pretty sure that it'll try to fight dirty to keep us from destroying it." She looked away from the wizards and fiddled with her braid. "Look, if you guys don't want to do this, it's perfectly fine and I totally understand. I can take the venom and box and do it myself." She held out her hands with raised eyebrows, waiting for them to fork over the items.

Regulus clutched the box tighter against himself and shook his head. "You're not doing this alone, Ava."

_Thank you baby Jesus_. A small smile graced her face before she turned to Severus.

He nodded. "Regulus is right. There's no way I'm leaving you in here on your own." His hard stare dared her to argue with him.

"I really appreciate it guys. Let's spread out and just shout if you find anything."

The Slytherins nodded before turning to the opposite sides of the room and starting down the makeshift paths that wound through the dusty piles of forgotten things. Ava faced out towards the daunting mission and crept her way down the center of the Room, meticulously dragging her eyes over everything within sight. Nearly an hour later, and after several bouts of sneezing attacks, she continued to move through the middle, stomping the whole way. _This is so stupid. I'm so stupid. Why on earth did I think we'd be able to find the diadem in just one day? This could take weeks!_ Her arms were crossed as she huffed a frustrated sigh, glaring at the heaps of junk littering the Room. _It's not just my fault though, Severus and Regulus could've said something before we started. They're intelligent too. Why didn't they come up with a better plan?_

"Because they're incompetent," she muttered under her breath. _You don't need them anyway._

Ava carefully scanned a bookshelf packed to the brim with glass jars containing a variety of colored substances before dragging her feet to progress farther down the row. As she moved, the air thickened, with an invisible pressure washing over her body. With furrowed brows, she glanced around her, spinning in a circle, trying to find where the oppressive feeling was coming from. _Must be one of the Slytherin idiots that I enlisted to help me,_ she thought with a sneer. The unseen weight pressed in on her, clinging to her skin as she slowly inched deeper into the Room.

Her magic perked up, buzzing in agitation, only adding to her current annoyance. She rubbed her chest, silently willing the distracting feeling to go away. But the magic refused, prickling at her senses, forcing a rush of adrenaline to spread throughout her body and alerting her to potential danger. Ava continued her slow movement, creeping forward, eyes darting all over the random items strewn about. _One of those nasty Slytherins is probably trying to sneak up on me. Planning on getting the Horcrux for themselves and hiding it from me._ Her magic swirled in a frenzy and Ava froze for a moment before shaking her head wildly. _What the fuck? There's no way Severus or Regulus would do that. They're helping me. They're my friends._ Realization set in and she called out the boys' names, waiting in place for them to locate her.

In only a minute or so, both Regulus and Severus found her, panting and wands drawn. "What is it? What's wrong?" Regulus questioned while Severus's eyes peered around them, likely looking for the enemy.

"It's close. Can you feel it?" She pulled out her own wand, mentally berating herself for not doing so sooner.

"Yes. I don't think—", Severus began before Regulus cut him off.

"Is this a trap?" the younger Slytherin snapped, glaring at her.

Ava startled. "What? No! It's the Horcrux! It was just doing the same to me."

The gray eyes narrowed in her direction lost their fire as Regulus shook himself.

"As I was trying to say, I don't think we should linger. We need to find it and destroy it before we can be influenced any further," Severus said.

The trio didn't hesitate before turning towards the center of the Room and edging their way closer to the source of the unnerving presence in the air. Only about ten feet from their original position, a bust was sitting atop a stand, the torches on the walls of the room causing a faint glint to reflect off the crown that rested on top of the statue. The magic in the air was quickly suffocating Ava, and casting a side glance at the boys, the tense, strained looks on their faces revealed the same for them. With a desperation to end the intrusive magic pressing against her own, she scrambled up a stack of books, using them as a step-stool to reach for the tiara.

"Don't let it touch your skin. Just in case," Severus blurted as he reached out to help keep her balanced.

Ava shook out her robe, extending the fabric of the sleeve to carefully pick up the diadem oozing dark magic. Once she daintily held the object between her fingers, the boys helped guide her back down the pile of books. _How dare they touch me?! Traitorous Slytherins!_ The sudden rage that followed the thought caused her to jerk in fright as she stepped to the floor. The Horcrux fell from her hand and skidded to a stop only a few feet away. They stared at the piece of Voldemort's soul for a long moment of silence. Ava was just waiting for the thing to fight back. When nothing happened, she looked to Severus.

"Can I have them Basilisk venom?" she asked, silently pleading to anyone listening that just dousing the crown in the inky, black liquid be be enough to destroy it. Keeping an eye on the Horcrux, Ava held out her open hand towards her friend as she tucked her wand away. Once she had the vial in hand, she slowly approached the diadem, nearly laughing at herself for being so scared. _It's fine. Just open the damn bottle._ As her fingers shakily grasped the stopper, trying to free it from the vial, a dark cloud of smoke rose from the Horcrux. Her eyes widened and she frantically gripped the cork, but her fingers were too sweaty and slipped off. Curses uttered from Severus and Regulus close behind had her glancing up at the black wisps that escaped from the Horcrux, forming a familiar figure.

"Remus," she whispered.

"How could you?" he asked harshly, crossing his arms.

Ava's jaw dropped. "Wha—what?"

The dark eyes of the specter burned through her. "How could you trust _them_ over me?"

Her stomach dropped. "That's not—"

The Remus in front of her slashed his hand through the air. "No excuses. You shouldn't be with them. You should be with me, your soulmate. You would've trusted me if you actually loved me."

Her eyes stung, the vision in front of her seeming so real, as if Remus was truly angry with her. But she shook her head, trying to break the spell the Horcrux held over her. Ava had already spoken to Remus at length about her friendship with Severus and Regulus and he had never hinted at any sort of resentment towards her or them. Breaking eye contact with the floating image of her soulmate, Ava muttered to herself, "This isn't real," as she focused on opening the bottle of Basilisk venom.

"Hurry, Ava!" Regulus pleaded from behind her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the dark figure swirl rapidly, transforming into something or someone else. "Don't look, don't look," she whispered, trying to wipe her sweaty hands on her robe before attempting to remove the stopper from the glass vial once again.

"You failed me," a familiar voice hissed at her.

"What the fuck?" one of the boys whispered.

Ignoring the compulsion to confirm who she thought the Horcrux had conjured for her, Ava pinched the cork of the venom and jerked it from side to side. It was finally loosening.

"I thought I could trust you, Ava," the voice accused.

The hurt and betrayal rippling through his comment caused her chest to tighten. Against her wishes, Ava's head tilted up, locking eyes with the hazy figure floating in front of her. She was right—it was Severus and the pained expression on his face shredded her heart. "You _can_ trust me," she urged him, taking a step forward.

He sneered down at her in utter contempt. "Stop lying."

Ava's breath quickened. Severus hadn't looked at her like that since the night she revealed the werewolf that nearly killed him was her soulmate. Her surroundings faded away as her mind focused on the specter of her friend, unable to draw her attention away from him. Not until she could convince him to trust her again. To believe in her and stand by her side.

"You claimed that you would help us and save everyone, but you failed," he told her in a voice like stone.

Her lips parted as her eyes widened. "But—"

"You didn't try hard enough. You were distracted and weak."

His words hit home, making her heart stop. Ava was sure that she could change the time line, but only if she remained focused, learning as much as she could and utilizing only the best strategies to take down Voldemort. She had to be better than him. Smarter. Stronger.

"She died, Ava. Because of you," he said harshly.

Tears sprung to her eyes. _No. No, no, no_. "You're lying."

"I am not," he said, darkness swirling at the edges of his body. "Lily's dead because you failed."

Ava shook her head.

The figure floated towards her slightly. "Your precious James was killed as well. You'll never see him again. All because you were _weak_. Completely useless in the face of real danger."

"No. I would never let that happen." Her voice trembled as wetness streaked down her face.

He gave her a cruel smirk. "Little Harry is now an orphan. Because of you. You did nothing to prevent this!" He drew his wand. "You should have protected Lily!" he screamed. "What use are you to me now? What use are you to anyone if you can't even protect your friends as you promised?"

The weight of his words crashed down on her soul like a tidal wave, washing her in grief and self-loathing. _They're gone. And I did nothing to stop it_. The gut-wrenching devastation that flooded Ava caused her knees to buckle._ He's right. I'm useless_. "I'm so sorry, Severus." Her wet eyes glanced up at the dark specter.

The endless rage behind his eyes burned through her. "I'll be taking you to the Dark Lord. At least you'll be a boon for me to offer, securing my position within his ranks."

Fear chilled her to the bone. "No. Severus, please. Don't." She continued to mutter her pleas through tears, trying to convince him not to take her to Voldemort until someone gripped the sides of her face. The hands wrenched her vision from the floating darkness, forcing her to look into another set of familiar dark eyes. It was Severus, but he appeared concerned. "I'm sorry, Severus. Please believe me," she sobbed. The worry etched onto his face confused her, considering he must hate her now.

"I could never hate you, Ava," he vehemently swore, keeping his eyes locked with hers.

_I must've said that out loud,_ she realized.

He reached down to her hand clutching the bottle of Basilisk venom and gently pried her fingers from it.

She startled in surprise, having forgotten about the glass container completely.

Without a struggle, he released the stopper then placed the vial back inside her hand. He cupped his own hand around hers and said, "Together."

She nodded shakily, but followed Severus's lead and extended her arm towards the hovering smoke above the Horcrux that was still an image of her friend berating her for being weak and spineless. As one, they both tilted the bottle and allowed several drops of the venom to drip onto the diadem. An eerie shriek tore throughout the Room as the black smoke was sucked back into the Horcrux. A second passed before a pulse of magic exploded from the cursed object and rippled out, passing through Ava, causing her to shiver. Her eyes remained glued to the crown as it hissed and bubbled, crumpling in on itself and blackening.

A heavy silence fell upon the trio in the aftermath of the destruction. Ava was trembling slightly as she wiped her eyes and nose, finally able to calm herself now knowing that she hadn't actually failed her friends. That it was just a trick the Horcrux played on her mind, preying on her self-doubts. Once more wiping the tears that ran down her face, Ava glanced at Severus and Regulus. Both boys were pale but hiding their emotions well. She couldn't discern anything from their expression other than a touch of concern as they watched her.

She swallowed. "Well, that was intense." The scoffs or sarcastic comments to follow her own that she expected didn't make an appearance. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the two Slytherins. _Please don't make a big deal out of this_, she mentally pleaded.

The boys stared at her in silence, worry becoming more evident in their gazes.

Ava cleared her throat. "I'm fine," she said, brushing herself off and standing from the floor. With her hands on her hips, she asked, "Are you guys alright?"

They remained silent, but Severus's jaw flexed.

Assuming that his action was due to containing residual anger at her, Ava blurted, "I promise you, I'm going to do whatever it takes. I won't let you down, I swear. I won't fail. I _will_ change the time line." She wrung her hands together, waiting for a response.

Without a word, Severus reached out and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and gently cupping the back of her head. "I don't doubt that you will. You're quite the formidable force. However, if you think for one second that I would ever turn against you and give you up to the Dark Lord, you are gravely mistaken."

Immense relief breezed through her body, allowing her to let loose the tension keeping herself in place. She leaned into his hug, grasping onto him tightly. "I thought you were mad at me," she mumbled through her tears into his shoulder.

"I'm not."

"It really felt like you hated me, Severus. It was awful."

His arms tightened minutely. "Never."

After a few moments of silence, Ava felt a hand placed onto her shoulder. Lifting her head from Severus, she saw that Regulus had joined them.

He gave her a small squeeze and said, "For the record, if this arsehole ever even _thinks_ about moving against you, I'd kick the shit out of him and set him straight."

She flashed him a watery smile.

His expression softened. "I've got your back too, Ava."

Without warning, she untangled herself from Severus and launched at Regulus, embracing him in a massive squeeze of appreciation. "Thank you, Regulus," she said.

He returned her hug and stepped back. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the charmed box that rest on the floor a few feet behind him.

Not wanting to remain in the presence of the Horcrux any longer than necessary, even if it was destroyed, they moved quickly. Once the damaged tiara was carefully placed within the box, Regulus showed Ava how to perform the spell that would seal the wooden container and require her magical signature to reopen. The journey back to the front of the room was silent, and Ava shrunk the box before placing it inside her schoolbag. Standing once more, she turned to the boys. "I really do appreciate you staying with me. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Of course," Regulus said with a smile.

"I'll always be there for you," Severus murmured, ducking his head slightly.

Ava beamed at him. "You guys ready?" she asked, bending to pick up her bag.

"Yeah, I need a scalding clean shower after all that," Regulus said with a shudder.

Ava felt the same. Though the Horcrux was no more and hidden away, the lingering dark magic felt slimy against her own.

The boys gathered their bags as well so Ava spun to the door and opened it, letting out a soft gasp to see someone waiting for them. Her body relaxed once she realized it was just Remus, and she stepped out into the corridor, with Severus and Regulus following her. The door to the Room disappeared behind them as they stood in silence, the Slytherins eyeing the werewolf warily, and Ava unsure of what to say. "Hey, Remus," she finally said after another moment.

Her soulmate approached, nostrils flaring before he growled in the direction of Severus and Regulus.

With a sigh, Severus quickly cast _Muffliato_.

Knowing that he scented the boys on her, she smacked his arm. "Stop being so possessive," she scolded. "They just gave me a hug."

Remus rounded on her with narrowed eyes roving over her face. He must've noticed her red, puffy eyes because he growled once more and glared at the boys. "Why was she crying? What did you do to her?" he demanded with clenched fists.

"I'm fine," she said with an exasperated sigh, tugging on one fist and trying to soothe him.

He looked at her with furrowed brows. "I felt your panic and fear and then the drowning sadness that followed, Ava." He lowered his voice. "It scared me. I let my magic reach out so I could find you. It led me here, but the room wouldn't open for me." He resumed glaring at the Slytherins.

She pulled on his hand once more. "We were discussing plans for the future, and I got a little worked up over thoughts of what would happen if I didn't manage to change the time line. That's all." Ava didn't want to bring up the Horcrux because she knew it would be quite the sore spot for not only Remus, but also James and Sirius if they found out that she had enlisted the Slytherins for help, but not them.

Remus huffed out a breath of frustration and tilted his head towards the Room. "Can we talk?" He glanced at the boys out of the side of his eye. "Alone?"

Regulus cleared his throat and raised a brow. "Are you alright with that, Ava? Would you rather be escorted to your quarters considering the late hour, or would you prefer to at least have a chaperone present?"

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "Are you trying to protect my virtue, Regulus Black?"

His eyes flashed with mild annoyance. "I will accept your choice, but as long as it's your choice," he said, looking at Remus pointedly.

Before Ava or Remus could respond, Severus said, "Ava's virtue aside, Lupin at the very least needs to be certain that his _furry little problem_ doesn't become a problem for Ava as well."

She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Listen up, all of you." Her soulmate made a noise of protest. "Yes, even you, Remus." She looked between all three of the wizards, speaking slowly. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself. Remus, these two are my friends and wouldn't do anything intentionally to hurt my feelings. Severus and Regulus, he may be a werewolf, but it's not the common cold. He's not contagious. And as for spending time with him on my own, that's none of your business," she said primly. "Besides, do any of you really believe that I would willingly put myself in danger?"

Instead of the reluctant chorus of "No" that she expected, Ava heard each wizard blurt out "Yes" without hesitation. She looked at them with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open.

"You've blatantly opposed future Death Eaters in public, Ava," Severus drawled.

Regulus scoffed. "You've passed out several times during our dueling practices from sheer stubbornness, unwilling to quit when you know you should."

Remus growled at the revelation, his expression promising that he wouldn't forget that piece of information any time soon. "You also like to spend the full moon with a _werewolf_, Ava," he grumbled, showing that he hadn't let that admission go unnoticed either.

She grimaced, having wondered when that slip would come back to bite her in the ass. "That's not fair," she pouted. "Those are all completely reasonable circumstances."

All three of the wizards laughed, looking at each other in surprise and then chuckling again after spotting the irritation clear on her face as she stood with her arms crossed and hip popped out. "Ha, ha. Get it out of your system now." She huffed with a wave of her hand. "As much as I enjoy seeing you behave and not at each other's throats, I don't particularly like that it's at my expense."

After the laughter died down, the Slytherins shared a look before inspecting Remus with scrutinizing eyes. After a few seconds, they glanced in Ava's direction and nodded before giving their goodbyes. As Severus and Regulus rounded the corner, she turned to face her soulmate, and found him watching her intensely with his green eyes. "So, I hear that you want some _alone time_ with me," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face towards her own.

"Yes," he breathed out, resting his forehead against her own and gripping her hips.

She smiled. "Then let's get ourselves a room." She slowly pulled away and stepped around him to pace in front of the empty wall. _I need to be alone with my soulmate_, she repeated, willing the Room to hear her.

A door appeared, and the details caused Ava to halt her steps. Every door created by the Room that she had seen so far were typical, dark wooden doors with a black, metal handle, closely resembling the doors throughout the rest of the castle. However, this one was painted a light gray with an intricate design running down it like racing stripes. She stepped closer and saw vines intertwined with one another, splashed with brightly colored flowers blossoming. The animated flowers were literally opening in front of her eyes. "The design is magical, Remus," she said softly as he held her hand.

Her eyes roved over the door in delight, wanting to see if there were more magical details. Where a small window would be in the middle of a typical door, there was a heart shaped image that she examined. The outline of the heart was made from the same vines and it was filled with flowers, petals spread wide. She took a step back. "As super cutesy and cheesy as this is, I like it," she told Remus with a smile.

"What did you ask the Room for?"

She shrugged. "Just somewhere I could be with my soulmate."

He let out a low growl, dragging her body to his, with her back to his chest. He held her hips in place as he rolled his own. "I love hearing you say that."

Ava could feel her magic stirring, waking the desire that she had been holding at bay for so long. "Remus," she whispered, feeling excitement pool in her lower abdomen.

He brushed her braid away from her neck and leaned down to nip at the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

She squirmed in place, pressing back against his crotch. "Please, Remus." Ava wasn't sure she could take another moment without her werewolf claiming her.

He spun her around and slammed her against the door, kissing her as though his life depended on it. He coaxed her tongue with his, earning a moan of pleasure from her.

"I need you now," she said, frustration lacing her tone.

He chuckled lowly. "So demanding, my mate," he said with amusement, pulling his head back slightly to reveal eyes flashing between amber and green.

Knowing just what to say to get her soulmate to comply to her wants and desires, Ava whispered, "I want you to claim me. I'm all yours."

Remus's body tensed as he closed his eyes, seeming to war with himself.

Ava reached out to cup his cheek, causing his eyes to open. "Please, Remus. I _want_ this. I want you. I _need_ you."

Whatever indecision had been preoccupying his mind vanished as he snapped into action, kissing her possessively as he backed her into the door further. The hard surface behind her disappeared as he turned the handle to let themselves into the Room. She didn't even have time to look around at what had been created for them before Remus pulled her into him again, igniting a fire that started in her belly and spread out to her limbs.

She absentmindedly dropped her bag. "Clothes. Off. Now," she demanded between kisses, pushing his robes and schoolbag from his shoulders.

Remus stilled, holding her face between his hands. "Are you _sure_ that you want this Ava? Because I don't think I'll be able to walk away from you after this. My wolf is so close to the surface, I'm positive that I'll claim you if we have sex."

She huffed. "Remus, you're incredibly sweet, but if you don't fuck me right now, I think I just might die."

His pupils dilated. "Is that so, mate?" His hands slid from her face, caressing her breasts, before coming to rest on her hips.

Ava tried to hide her smirk. "Yes, that is so, my soul_mate_."

A low growl rumbled from his chest as he dipped his head, slanting his lips against hers. His hands got busy removing her robes, so Ava returned the favor. Pulling his shirt loose, she ran her hands against his hard abs, letting out an embarrassing moan of need as their magic stroked one another.

Remus smiled against her mouth as he worked the buttons loose on her shirt. He pressed kisses in a trail from her swollen lips across her cheek, down to her neck, gently biting her where it met her shoulder.

The possessive bite fanned the flames of her desire and she spurred on, quickly getting rid of his shirt. Ava knew she was staring, but she couldn't help it. His broad, sculpted chest was dusted with hair, and his flat stomach had a light path of the same leading into his pants. She licked her lips in anticipation of what lay beneath the fabric. A deep chuckle caused her eyes to snap up to Remus's.

He was smirking. "I'm glad you like what you see, Ava."

Without a word she took a step back, ripping off her shirt and unhooking her bra, letting it drop to the floor.

His mouth hung open as his eyes devoured her naked breasts.

It was her turn to smirk. "Like what you see?" she teased.

The green in his eyes disappeared completely, causing her victorious feeling to falter momentarily. But her trepidation vanished as Remus closed the distance between them and gently palmed each breast, before wrapping his mouth around one of her nipples. She let out a gasp, her hand threading through his sandy hair. He lavished each breast with attention, sucking, licking, and biting, causing wetness to gather between her thighs.

"Remus," she whispered breathlessly, clinging to his neck to stay standing. "I need you to touch me."

He released her nipple with a pop. "As you wish, mate."

The next thing she knew, he had scooped her up, holding her ass, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. For a moment, Ava thought about looking around the room, but Remus distracted her with his mouth, demanding the attention of her lips as he walked further into the Room. She clung to him tightly as he started to dip her backwards. A yelp of fright was about to leave her mouth, but her body made contact with something soft. Shifting slightly, she realized that he had deposited her on a bed. Scooting herself back a little, she watched Remus remove his pants and shoes, leaving him in just his boxers, clearly tented with his erection. Ava bit her lip as her hand floated towards the waistband of his underwear.

In a flash, Remus grasped her wrists and pressed her into the mattress, pinning her hands above her head as she cradled him between her legs. "You first, love." He released her and crawled down her body, pausing briefly to bite each nipple and soothe them with his tongue.

Her hips thrust forward, desperately seeking friction. "Remus," she whispered. She was panting and hot, not sure if the heat was from her desire or her magic burning with the need to feel his melded against her own.

"Patience, mate," he told her in a low voice, finally reaching her waistband. He quickly divested her of her bottoms and underwear, leaving her completely bare for his perusal. His amber eyes trailed up her legs, lingering on the patch of hair between them, before climbing up to her face. His eyes locked onto hers, reflecting the same desire and want that she felt. He must've approved of whatever he read in Ava's eyes, because he dropped his gaze to her legs once more, placing his hands on each calf, and slowly dragged his hands up towards the apex of her thighs.

She sucked in a breath as he neared her wet lips and couldn't stop herself from tilting her hips towards him. Ava pushed herself up onto her elbows and watched her mate as he parted her legs with no resistance.

Getting his first glimpse of her glistening pussy, Remus licked his lips before flicking his eyes up to hers. He maintained eye contact as he closed the distance and swiped his tongue up her slit. His eyes shuddered closed as a moan vibrated from his mouth around her clit.

Ava dropped her head back to the mattress in pure bliss. _Finally,_ she thought with a smile before a mewl of pleasure escaped from her lips as Remus feasted on her pussy. Her fingers tangled in his hair, holding his head in place as his tongue would circle her clit and flick over it before sliding up her slit and thrusting into her, and then he would do it all over again. And again. And again.

Desperate for more, she pulled on his hair. "I need you inside me," she said in a tone that brokered no argument.

With a grin, Remus wiped his mouth. "You taste delicious, by the way," he said as he crawled up the bed, resting along her side.

Before she could respond, his tongue plundered her mouth as he palmed a breast, pinching and tugging on her nipple. He swallowed her moans, sliding his hand down her belly, and spreading her lips with his fingers. He rubbed her clit, reading her body like an open book to find the right amount of pressure. He ceased his assault on her mouth and leaned back, watching her reaction to his touch.

"Yes," she panted. "Remus."

"What do you want, Ava?" rumbled from his chest, his amber eyes dark with desire.

"I want you inside me. Please," she said, desperation lacing her tone.

"Tell me exactly what you want, mate."

Frustration getting the best of her, she blurted out, "I want you to fuck me with your fingers, Remus," as she reached down to grasp the hand working her over. Gently, she nudged him towards her soaked entrance.

Heeding her demand, he pushed a finger into her at a tantalizing slow pace. He dropped his head, groaning into her neck. "You're so wet."

"Yes," she exclaimed breathlessly, concentrating on the feeling of her soulmate pleasuring her. His fingers deftly worshipped her body as he added another finger, pumping them rhythmically in and out of her as his thumb circled her clit. As the delightful pressure built, her magic sizzled along with the nerve endings in her bud, causing her moans to increase. "Yes. Fuck, yes."

"I want you to come for me, Ava. Can you come for me?" He leaned his head down and sucked on her nipple, sending a wave of pleasure through her body.

"Yes. Yes, I'll come. I want to come," she panted, grasping the back of his head with one hand and fisting the bed sheet with the other.

He bit down on her nipple and rubbed her clit harder, causing the mounting pleasure within her to explode.

As her orgasm washed over her body, Ava saw stars behind her closed eyes. "Remus, yes! Fuck," she groaned, her hips twitching of their own accord. He slowly stroked her clit as she rode through the aftershock until she gently pried his hand away from her crotch. She sat up and pushed on his shoulder until he laid back on the bed. Ava swung her leg, straddling his waist, with her hands resting on his bare chest. "Your turn," she told him with a seductive smile.

He watched with fire in his eyes as she kissed her way down his chest and stomach, stopping above his hard cock.

Ava hadn't really thought of blow jobs as enticing, but that was before she laid eyes on Remus. Before she fell in love with him. There was something about her strong feelings for him and how he made her feel that encouraged her desire to have him in her mouth. She wrapped her hand around the base of his shaft, and feeling Remus tense beneath her, she glanced up his body to see him watching her with rapt interest. This being their first time, Ava wanted to learn his body, so she studied his reaction as she flicked out her tongue and trailed it up the underside of his cock.

He hissed out a breath as his hips twitched towards her, and she could see his fists clenched in the bed sheet on either side of him.

With a grin, she swirled her tongue around his head, and enveloped his steel rod wrapped in velvet with her warm mouth. Remus moaned, causing her to echo his pleasure through a moan of her own, just from knowing that she was pleasing his body and causing those noises to come from him. He must've enjoyed the vibrations from her mouth because he fisted her hair and helped guide her up and down his cock. "Just like that, mate. So good," he murmured.

She found that he especially enjoyed it when she grazed her teeth along his shaft and dragged them over his head, if his hip thrusts were anything to go off of.

Without warning, she found herself lifted from his lower half and flipped around so that her back was on the mattress once again.

"I was going to come if you kept that up, but I'd much rather be inside of you when that happens," he told her in a trembling voice as he spread her legs and positioned himself at her slick entrance.

Ava peered up into his eyes, flashing green and amber, contemplating the waver in his voice. "Remus," she whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek. "I don't want you to hold back. I'm your mate. Your soulmate. You won't hurt me."

His brows furrowed. "Are you sure?"

She smiled softly. "Of course I'm sure." She bit her lip before demanding, "Now, fuck me my mate."

He growled and leaned down to smother her lips with his own as he entered her in a single thrust before holding himself still. Sensing his hesitation, Ava quickly rotated her hips, moving against him and moaning deeply when his cock hit her just right. Finally letting himself loose, Remus pumped into her, groaning out his own pleasure. She lost herself in the feel of his body and magic against her own for several minutes as they claimed each other. His breathing became more ragged and his moans longer, hinting that he was about to peak.

"I'm going to bite you," he muttered. "I'm going to claim you as mine."

Excitement raced through her body. "Do it," she said, exposing her neck and shoulder to him, assuming his favorite nipping spot would be where he marked her.

He called out her name as he surged into her once more before sinking his teeth into her skin.

Another orgasm washed over Ava as her magic swirled out to meet his, claiming him as her mate in return. He continued to shallowly thrust into her for another minute as they both quivered in pleasure and caught their breath. As Remus slowed his movement, he caressed the bite wound with his tongue, causing the pain to ebb. With a hiss, he pulled out of her and dropped next to her on the bed. Ava rolled over, laying her leg atop his, and placed a hand on his chest.

"That was amazing," she said before leaning down to kiss his swollen lips and flushed cheeks.

"It was. You're incredible, Ava. So beautiful." He nuzzled his nose against hers.

"And you, my mate, are extremely handsome," she told him with a smile as she settled her head on his chest. Ava took the opportunity to check out their surroundings. The canopy bed they were resting on had cream fabric draped over the top and the wood was a dark cherry. The size of the room was much more intimate than the others she had used, with the exception of the first time she stepped into the Room of Requirement. A pang of sadness swept through her chest at the reminder of her college apartment that appeared soon after her arrival at Hogwarts.

The current decor shared some of the characteristics of her former home that she found comforting. Large, comfy chairs with bookcases full of texts her fingers itched to peruse, and fluffy knitted blankets draped over the back of a sofa not far from the bed. The lit fireplace and plain standing lamps provided enough light for the decent sized room. A frown overcame Ava's face as she spotted a door that matched the dark cherry wood of the bed frame. Her eyes darted to where she thought the entrance to the Room was and saw the light gray door from earlier. _Why the hell are there two doors?_ She sat up on the bed, intending to investigate.

"Uh, Ava?"

She turned to Remus whose brows were furrowed.

"Were you feeling sad and then confused just now?" he asked as his hand gently rubbed her naked back.

Her jaw hit the floor. "Yeah," she said slowly, drawing out the word.

He cleared his throat and pushed himself up into a sitting position next to her. "I think our bond might have an emotional aspect to it now that I've claimed you," he mumbled, cheeks reddening.

_Well, that could be annoying as hell,_ she thought with a sigh. "So, we can sense each other emotions now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know for sure the extent of it, but it seems like it for now, at least. Can you tell how I'm feeling?"

Ava squinted at him, eyes roving over his face and dipping to his muscled chest and arms. She wasn't picking up anything at first, so she concentrated on her magic, feeling through it for her connection to Remus. _There he is. Confusion and worry, tinted with desire that was growing._ Her eyes dragged up his body to find him gazing at her naked chest. She laughed. "Yes, I can feel you," she said while pulling the sheet around her body and climbing off the bed. "We can figure this out later, but I want to check out where that door goes to."

Without waiting for him, she crossed the room and wrapped her hand around the handle and turned. Apparently, the Room really had thought of everything as Ava was staring into a bathroom, complete with a shower and stack of towels on the counter. "How thoughtful," she said to Remus, who appeared at her side. "Thank you very much. We really appreciate it," she told the Room.

The werewolf opened his mouth, but closed it as a wave of warm, happy magic washed over them.

Ava giggled at the bewildered expression on his face. "That's Hogwarts."

"Oh," he said distractedly, looking about the bathroom and then back into the bedroom. "So, the school is onboard with us having sex? Even though the teachers deduct points and hand out detentions for anyone who's caught?"

She smiled. "I guess so. Maybe the castle could feel our soulmate bond and knew we needed to complete it." Another wave of pleasant, familiar magic brushed over them. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, dropping the sheet and stepping towards the shower. As the water heated up, she turned to see Remus eyeing her with hunger. While she struggled herself to keep her eyes from wandering down his body to where she knew he would be hard and ready for her, she knew they didn't have much time before curfew. She shook her head. "No way, Moony. I'm cleaning up, then getting back to my rooms."

Remus pouted, eliciting a laugh from Ava. "I'm not finished with you yet, mate," he grumbled.

Desire swept through her and her magic prodded her, tempting her to embrace Remus and take him back to the bed. She cleared her throat and reached out to test the temperature of the shower. Stepping in, she glanced over at him and said, "I'd rather not have to explain to Aunt Minerva why I was out past curfew, Remus. If you'd rather, we could go for another round, but you'll do the explaining."

He blanched. "No—no—definitely not," he stuttered, shuddering as his erection deflated.

Ava worked the shampoo into her hair as she said, "If you can keep your hands to yourself, you can join me."

Remus looked her up and down and swallowed. "I'm not sure I can," he said with the hint of a whine.

She laughed. "Then you better wait your turn."

And he did. He leaned against the sink and watched her every move while she rinsed out her hair and rubbed suds all over her body. His gaze caused her skin to flush and magic to stir once more, but she kept her composure and didn't let her baser instincts take control. Wanting to give a little bit of payback, she wrapped herself up in a soft towel and grazed her fingers against his bare chest as she glided past him into the bedroom. She bit her lip to contain her laughter when she heard him take a fortifying breath before he headed to the shower.

Ava was fully dressed and beyond ready to get some well earned sleep when Remus joined her in the bedroom. In an effort to keep her eyes off of the fit and naked werewolf, she faced one of the bookshelves and scanned over its contents, pleasantly surprised to see Muggle literature mixed in with the Wizarding titles.

"Are you ready?" Remus called from across the room.

"Yep," she chirped, pivoting to scoop up her schoolbag and joining him. Just as she was about to step out into the corridor, he snatched her wrist.

"Wait a second." He stepped in close, ghosting his lips over hers. "I love you, Ava. I should've said it before and I hope you could tell that I cared a great deal about you, but I wanted to say it now."

She beamed, feeling the deep love pouring from him. "I love you too."

He gasped and pulled back, looking at her in wonder. "You do."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Duh. I just said that." She leaned towards him for a kiss, but he pulled away again, still appearing awestruck.

"No, but you actually mean it. I can _feel_ how much you love me." He leaned down to her and lowered his voice. "It's incredible." He kissed her thoroughly for a few long moments before releasing her hands. He stepped out the door and held it open for her.

"Thank you," she told him with a smile dancing around her lips. Reaching out for his hand, she asked, "Will you walk me back to my quarters?"

He gave her fingers a squeeze before lifting them and pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Of course."

The pair meandered down the floors in a delighted bliss, occasionally teasing one another about the flicker of desire felt through their bond, but they finally made it to Ava's rooms. For the first time since her arrival in this world, Ava fell asleep without a care in the world, feeling that everything was truly coming together. One Horcrux down. Soulmate bond complete and Moony's claim fulfilled. Surrounded by friends willing to help her train and learn. What more could she ask for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *blushing furiously* That was my first sex scene by the way


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thank you so much for the feedback about last chapter! I'm super happy that it wasn't cringe-worthy :) This chapter took a bit longer since I had an idea spark for a Supernatural fan fic and I needed to get all my ideas down before coming back to this. Rest assured, I'll be finishing this story first, but now you'll have a Dean/Castiel/OFC fic to look forward to :)
> 
> Thanks for all of the kudos and comments! :D
> 
> Review shout-out: TrueWarrior98 and canadianBwithanITCH
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

** Chapter 36 **

Avalynn peeked at her soulmate from under her lashes as he sat across the library table from her. She knew her focus should be on the parchment in front of her, describing the _Epoximise_ spell that her class had covered in Transfiguration this week, but she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering to Remus every few minutes. It was a compulsion. Deep down, Ava was aware that it was silly, but she needed to see him with her own eyes, making sure that he was truly real and by her side. It was hard to believe, even with the presence of magic in her everyday life, that the handsome wizard was literally made for her.

Over the past couple of months in this new reality, she had felt like her adjustment to a world full of magic had gone rather well, even considering her handful of panic attacks. Ever since completing the bond with Remus nearly a week ago, Ava felt lighter than she had in weeks, but now she had to adjust and adapt to her new normal once again. She wasn't one to shy away from sharing emotions, but the fact that Remus would be able to sense her mood without her permission rubbed her the wrong way. With their connection cemented, Ava doubled down on her Occlumency training with Regulus and Severus, hoping to spare Remus from being exposed to the winding roller coaster that was her emotions.

It had only been a handful of days, and Remus had already questioned her about the immense relief that she had felt after showing the Horcrux to Aunt Minerva. She discussed with the professor the destruction of the Horcruxes and approaching Dumbledore about tracking them all down, using the withered diadem as a peace offering of sorts, and hadn't realized how much the pressure to succeed had been suffocating her until Remus had pointed it out after the fact. Ava felt both unnerved and comforted that he could sense her feelings that well, but that's why she demanded that Severus push her harder with Occlumency. _Everything would be better off if I can pick and choose what to share with Remus_, she thought as she gazed at him bent over his parchment, quill scribbling across the page as he bit his bottom lip in concentration.

Watching the werewolf nibble on his lip brought forth the memory of him doing the same to hers, working her into a trembling puddle of desire the night before. Want and need tingled through Ava's body, waking at the reminder of how her soulmate could make her feel. They had been intimate twice more since their first night together, but it wasn't enough to satiate her magic or her body. Her eyes trailed over his arms and hands, the memory of his touch eliciting phantom sensations that aroused her even though studying in the library was neither the time nor place.

"Ava?"

Her eyes flicked up to find him smirking. She raised a brow. "Yes, Remus?" His amusement filtered through the bond, so she allowed her irritation to bleed through.

He chuckled. "As much as I would enjoy ravishing you, love, it's nearly curfew and I've got to finish this essay."

"I can always sneak back to my rooms, like last night," she said with the hint of a whine. Their sexual activities had tired them out enough last night that they had fallen asleep in the Room and woke in the middle of the night. Ava had managed to convince Remus to go back to Gryffindor Tower while she snuck to her rooms on her own, not wanting to chance him being caught out after hours.

He smiled but shook his head. "I'd rather not risk it. We'll have plenty of time together this weekend."

She sighed dramatically while rolling her eyes. "Fine, I _suppose_ that's reasonable." She pointed a finger at him. "But I demand at least two orgasms on Saturday."

His eyebrows shot up. "Is that so?" he asked through laughter.

"It is," she said with her arms crossed, deliberately pushing her breasts together and leaning forward on the table, knowing that the top buttons of her shirt were undone.

Remus's gaze dropped to her chest for a moment before flicking back up to meet hers, briefly flashing amber. He swallowed. "I accept your demands, mate."

Ava shifted in her seat, the anticipation already pooling in her lower abdomen.

His pupils dilated as he scented the air. He squeezed his eyes shut with a groan. "Merlin, Ava. I can't concentrate with you smelling that good."

She giggled. "I'm sorry."

He wiped a hand down his face and revealed a smile. "No, you're not."

She laughed again. "No, I'm really not."

With a shake of his head, he said, "Just give me a few more minutes and we'll get out of here."

Ava tampered down her arousal and focused on reviewing her notes for upcoming exams in an attempt to give Remus space to focus. Regardless of the pages in front of her, the witch's mind wandered once more, but thankfully not to the desire compelling her to claim her soulmate all over again. No, mention of the upcoming weekend reminded Ava that it was a Hogsmeade weekend, and the second to last one before Christmas break. With it being a little over a month away, she figured it'd be a good idea to get started on Christmas shopping. She had only mused over gift ideas for a minute or so before Remus announced that he was finished with his assignment. The couple packed up their belongings and headed out of the library.

There was something Ava wanted to discuss with her soulmate, but was hesitant to bring it up. _Just tell him. He'll get over it. And if he doesn't?_ Her hand tightened around her bag's shoulder strap. _He'll just have to_. As they stepped entered the corridor, she said, "So, I'd like to be in the Shack for the next full moon. Before your transformation."

* * *

Remus faltered in his steps. "What?" he asked, turning to see if Ava was joking.

Her lips were pressed together and she let out a breath through her nose.

_Shit, she's serious_, he bemoaned mentally.

She slipped her wand out from her robes and cast _Muffliato_. "I want to be with you, in the Shack, but _before_ the transformation."

His brows furrowed, feeling his own unease blend with Moony's. Both the wolf and wizard bristled at the thought of Ava bearing witness to their vulnerable moments during and after the transformation. Remus had his own worries about her presence as well, regardless of the genuine concern coming from Ava that he could detect through the bond. _I don't want her to see me like that. Turning into a monster. Weak and broken._

Moony growled in protest against the monster comment, but then whined pitifully as Remus's thoughts hardened towards the idea of her being in the Shack with them during a full moon. The wolf was adamant about needing his mate near.

His deliberating silence allowed for Ava to continue. "I know you were upset to find out that the boys let me in the Shack last full moon after your transformation, but don't forget that that's my _second_ time being there. And I've already seen you turn back twice now and I've visited you in the Hospital Wing afterwards too." She reached out and grasped his hands with hers. "I know what to expect. You don't need to try and keep this from me like some dirty secret, Remus."

He squeezed her fingers. "But I want to shield you from this if I can. You haven't seen me transform into my wolf, and it's not a pretty sight."

Her determined face softened. "This isn't something to _protect_ me from. It's just you, and Moony, who is a part of you, and I love you both." She stepped into him and stretched to place a chaste kiss on his lips.

Remus couldn't ignore the love and adoration radiating from his soulmate. He was still getting used to the influx of emotions from Ava, and it always baffled him how strongly she cared for him. _She not afraid. Not even a little bit_. He shook his head. "Please, I don't want you to suffer watching me. It's a truly unpleasant experience."

"Oh, I know. I'm rather aware of that fact," she muttered under her breath.

His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her face. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," she blurted, looking away from him and trying to retract her hands from his.

He held onto her, feeling her guilt and trepidation leaking through the bond. "What did you mean, Ava?"

She scrunched up her face. "Look, I'll tell you, but you can't freak out. It's really not that bad and I can handle it. Promise you won't freak out," she told him sternly as she poked his chest. "I swear to God Remus, if you flip out over this and try to pull some stupid bullshit, I won't stand for it. And I can guarantee James and Sirius won't either."

He frowned at the mention of his friends. _They must already know. Why am I the last to know everything when it comes to my mate?_ He sighed, knowing that Ava was stubborn enough to withhold information if he didn't agree. "Okay. You can tell me."

She pulled her hands from his, her gaze flicking away as she fiddled with the sleeve of her robe. "So, were connected because of our soulmate bond, right?" she began hesitantly.

"Yeah." _Where is she going with this?_

She swallowed. "Well, because of our connection, you know how we can share or sense things about one another, right? Like our emotions? Although that's more recent, but you could feel how upset I was before we, uh, _completed_ the bond," she said with a blush staining her cheeks.

Remus smirked, feeling his own body flush with desire to claim his mate all over again.

The corners of her mouth twitched as she peeked up at him and she shook her head. "Anyway, we have an emotional connection, and a magical one," she said while reaching out to trail a finger over the back of his hand and wrist. Her magic sought out his, gently caressing it as one would a lover, and his magic responded with a thrum of delight.

"What does this have to do with the full moon, Ava?" he asked gently, turning his hand over to intertwine their fingers.

She squeezed his hand. "We also share a physical connection, Remus." Her blue eyes were focused on his face, waiting for his reaction.

_What does she mean "physical"?_ His thumb traced over the back of her hand. "Do you mean like how we're attracted to each other?"

With a sigh, she said, "No. It's probably easier if I just say it." She breathed deeply through her nose while her brows rose. "I can feel the transformation during the full moon."

The chill of dread crept over him as he slowly withdrew his hand from Ava's. "What exactly do you mean, Ava?" he asked in a low tone. _Please let me be wrong_.

"I don't know if it's the same exact experience as yours, but I get this tingly, burning sensation under my skin at first and then it hurts. Then there are few rounds of pain throughout my whole body, making me feel like my bones and muscles are going to burst through my skin, but they don't and it settles after a few minutes."

He couldn't breathe. _No. How could this happen? Why is this happening to her? She doesn't deserve it._ Her description was comparable to the way it felt to transition from a human to a wolf, but Remus knew that he had years to build up a tolerance for the pain and Ava hadn't. Guilt and shame rained down on his heart in a torrent. _She shouldn't have to endure that pain._

Moony spoke up from the back of his mind. _Our mate is strong_.

_She shouldn't have to be_, Remus countered.

Ava gripped his shoulders and shook him, drawing his attention. "No matter what you do now," she said, "even if you try to distance yourself from me or deny the bond in a senseless effort to spare me, I will still feel everything. I have for the past two full moons and we hadn't even claimed one another yet. So, there's nothing you can do to make the pain go away, but you could at least make it bearable if you'll allow me to be with you." She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe if we're together, it won't hurt as much. You and Madame Pomfrey both said that last time you weren't beat up as much as you normally are."

His brow furrowed, feeling himself begin to sway in her favor. _She'll only dig herself in more if I try to pull away._

"I was there with you, but after the transformation. I'm pretty sure you'll hurt less if I'm there the whole time. The full moon before that, when you and Moony hurt yourselves even worse, I wasn't able to get to you."

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes, letting her arms drop. "Well, partly because James and Sirius wouldn't let me until I told them how painful it was to be away from you, but Aunt Minerva didn't think I should be with you then either. She's changed her mind now though."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Why'd she do that?"

Ava grimaced. "I may have been rather insistent on seeing you after the transformation passed. I—uh, _might've_ Stupefied her and bolted from our rooms and out of the castle to get to you in the Shack."

Remus's eyes widened as his jaw dropped.

She giggled. "I know, right? I felt like an absolute lunatic the next day when I woke up and Madame Pomfrey told me she had to knock me unconscious to stop me as I was sprinting to the Whomping Willow."

A huff of laughter escaped from his lips. "Shit, Ava. I suppose 'insistent' is one way to describe it. I can't believe you bested McGonagall," he told her with a smile.

She returned his smile and shook her head. "I can't believe it either. Thankfully, I didn't actually hurt her, but I was terrified when I saw her the next day. I thought she was going to be so mad at me."

"She wasn't?"

"No, she's been incredibly understanding of our situation and my whole deal with being here," she said, gesturing with her hand.

Remus reached out and grasped both of her hands. "Let me be clear. I'll agree for you to be there during the next full moon, but if Moony or I, or even the guys, sense that _anything_ is wrong, you're leaving the Shack. Immediately."

She beamed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

He held her, relishing the feeling of her soft body against his. Unable to help himself, Remus dipped his head and nuzzled her neck, peppering it with kisses as he moved down to the juncture of her shoulder. He softly bit down over the mark claiming Ava as his mate, and felt desire shoot through him, lighting up his nerves. His fingers flexed around her hips and he pulled back. "No more secrets, okay? I want you to be honest with me and not keep stuff like this from me. Whatever it is, I'm not going to be leaving your side. Ever. I want to know everything that's going on or bothering you."

She tried to smile through a pained expression, "I can't tell you _everything_ Remus, not even Aunt Minerva or Severus know everything."

Her expression made the guilt she felt clear, but he could only sense a dim flicker of it through their bond, so he brushed it to the back of his mind. He nodded. "Well, everything concerning the two of us then. I don't want there to be secrets between us. Not that I'm afraid you're hiding anything, but I just want you to know that you can trust me and come to me about anything."

Relief overcame her face before she tugged him forward and buried her face in his chest.

Remus grinned as he rested his chin atop her head, thinking that he could spend the rest of his life getting used to her affection.

* * *

It was no surprise that Ava found herself in the library once again the following day. However, her study group consisted of Lily, Frank, and Alice, and the couple was currently gathering their things to leave. As soon as the future Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom turned the corner, Lily leaned forward in her seat.

"We haven't had a lot of girl time to chat and catch up. You've been looking a lot healthier recently. Has your magic returned to normal?"

Ava's eyes widened minutely before she remembered that Lily knew there was something deeper going on between her and Remus. She nodded slowly, trying to decide how much she could reveal to the redhead. "My magic's been stable for a while now."

Lily tried to hide a smile. "And you've been dating Remus for '_a while now'_, haven't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "What is it that you want to know?"

The other girl inched towards Ava as much as she could. She whispered, "Are you and Remus just _dating_?"

_Hmm. Smart cookie, Lily Evans_. Ava knew that her friend had already been keeping Remus's furry little problem a secret, so she didn't see any harm in admitting a partial truth. "I'm his mate."

A wide grin stretched across Lily's face before a squeal of delight erupted from her, startling Ava. "I knew it!" she yelled.

Ava shushed her, trying not to laugh.

Lily covered her mouth, flinching at her own outburst. "I knew it," she repeated softly, still beaming.

With a shake of her head, Ava laughed.

"That's amazing. Incredible. I'm so happy for you both. I can't believe it. That's so romantic. Having someone who fits your soul and magic perfectly," Lily rambled. "I'm assuming Moony likes you. Do you stay with him while he transforms? I wonder if your bond will affect him."

Ava let the redhead voice her musings, but didn't confirm or deny anything, not wanting to reveal the entirety of her relationship with Remus in one fell swoop. She managed to divert the conversation to Lily and James and asked, "So, how exactly did you go from detesting James to caring about him and wanting to give him a chance?"

Granted, she already knew a lot about that particular relationship, but she wanted to spend more time getting to know Lily. Ava didn't have any other female friends, seeing as she couldn't bring herself to count Aunt Minerva and Madame Pomfrey as _friends_. As Lily's explanation broached the incident in their fifth year, involving Severus, she straightened in her seat. _Maybe I can help him out a bit_, she pondered.

* * *

Severus had come to the library, hoping to catch Ava studying alone, but he heard the familiar tones of Lily mixed with Ava's as he approached their table. Curious, he paused to hear what they were discussing. The utterance of his name caused his desire to eavesdrop to increase and he immediately set about using his lurking abilities to their fullest extent. He cast a nonverbal Disillusionment Charm over himself and crept forward, but kept himself to the shadows of the bookshelves as an extra precaution.

His body froze as his inside squirmed in horror. Lily was regaling Ava with a retelling of the event that signed the death warrant of his friendship with the redhead.

Severus dug his nails into the palms of his fists. He knew he had been stupid and a complete fool for lashing out at Lily and cursing that foul word at her, too prideful to accept her help. _And now I'm going to lose Ava as well_, he lamented. _She'll realize how spiteful and cruel I can be. Who would want to be friends with someone like that anyway?_

"And then he called me a—a," Lily stumbled over her words, "a mudblood."

From his vantage point, Severus could see that Ava didn't appear to be upset. Her eyebrows rose slightly, giving her expression one of mild surprise. "Did he apologize?" she asked.

He scoffed mentally. _Of course I apologized. She was my best friend, and I was furious with her interference, but I didn't really mean it. I could never think of her that way._

Thankfully, Lily told the truth and nodded, explaining how he even slept outside the Gryffindor Common Room, but that she couldn't bring herself to forgive him. "I was only trying to help and he was so…awful and called me that hateful name. The people he was hanging out with at the time didn't help his case either."

He held his breath, waiting for a speech full of righteous indignation to spew from her mouth in support of Lily in typical Ava fashion.

"Try to see it from his perspective, Lily," she said in a gentle tone. "He was in a vulnerable position, in front of classmates, being bullied by a bunch of assholes, and then instead of getting the chance to stand up for himself and fight back, you stepped in." Lily opened her mouth to speak, but she held up a hand. "I understand why you did. It'd be very difficult for me to stand by in the same situation, but I would also be pretty pissed off if someone felt the need to protect me when I could've done it myself." She shrugged. "We all say things we don't mean when we're angry. I've cursed at the boys, and even Remus and Severus, a handful of times when they've pushed too far. But we always work through it."

Severus felt a tightening in his chest at Ava's defense of him. He was sure that she would've exploded with the need to berate his use of the derogatory term.

"I suppose," Lily mumbled, confusion and guilt flickering across her face. She reached out and grasped Ava's hand. "Promise me you'll be careful around him though."

Ava pulled her hand away with a sigh. "He's my best friend, Lily. He would never hurt me on purpose."

He knew that the witch was his friend, but he hadn't realized to what extent until this moment. Hearing Ava claim him as her best friend, aloud, to Lily of all people, after hearing that story, filled him with a warm rush of joy that he hadn't felt in such a long time.

Lily quietly stood and packed up her schoolbag.

"You're my friend too, though," Ava said. "I have no intentions of being friends with _either_ Gryffindors _or_ Slytherins. It will be _both_ and everyone will just have to suck it up and deal."

The redhead nodded and moved to leave.

"Lily," Ava called softly. "We shouldn't let so much time pass between our girl talks." She smiled with a hopeful expression, which Lily returned before turning to depart. Ava's brows wrinkled as she sighed to herself. She collected her things and hefted the schoolbag over her shoulder before ambling towards the table she shared with him.

Severus followed her, frantically thinking of something to say to Ava that would be able to convey how much his friendship with her meant to him. Hopefully, without making him look like a fool. He lingered in the stacks, watching his friend settle, and then dropped the Disillusionment Charm. As he walked out of the shadows, his dark eyes peered around the space to make sure he was truly alone with Ava.

The witch glanced up and smiled upon seeing him. "I was hoping I'd find you here," she said.

_Merlin, this is going to be embarrassing. I can't do this._ He stopped next to her and held out a hand. _No, she deserves this._

She frowned at his outstretched hand, but took it anyway.

He pulled her from the chair and tried to keep his mask in place. However, he sensed that he must've been failing when Ava looked at him in concern.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

He silently nodded and couldn't hesitate any longer for fear of his courage leaving him. He wrapped his arms around Ava and held her close, whispering, "I know you've suffered a great deal of heartache since your arrival, but I feel the need to express my gratitude for your presence in my life."

She tensed in his arms, alarming him and causing him to think he'd made a mistake, but a moment later, she gripped him back even tighter than before. "I'm so glad you're in my life too, Severus."


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you so much for the kudos and comments :)
> 
> Thank you to everyone leaving feedback! I love seeing what you think about the story :D
> 
> Review shout-out: balloongal247 and Gummybearlover0945
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 37**

Avalynn's eyes were squeezed shut as mountains and pines sprung to life, forming the landscape of her mind. The presence in her head slithered through the terrain, intent on finding her secrets. _Not today, Severus_. She shaped a trail, blocking him in-between dense trees, leading him away from her memories related to the truth of her existence and her knowledge of the future. However, her friend was truly testing her as his will broke through the tree line and dashed away from her intended path. Clenching her jaw, Ava quelled the urge to force him out of her mind and decided to try another tactic. She conjured up childhood memories of when she felt embarrassed or insecure, purposefully humiliating herself, sprouting those detours along the direction Severus was wandering.

Both Severus and Regulus agreed that if someone was looking for secrets or valuable information, memories that placed her in a vulnerable position, even if they were insignificant to the intruder's overall purpose for invading her mind, would provide a decent distraction. While her attacker would be tempted with gaining potential blackmail, she could rebuild her mental shield before pushing the foreign presence out or wait until the person tired and withdrew. This solution would be useful until Ava was at the level of being able to provide pieces of real memories mixed with false to create an overall believable memory to offer someone invading her mind.

Unpleasant images from various parties, school hallways, and class presentations filtered through her head for another minute or so before Severus pulled himself out, and Ava's vision cleared. Waiting for a progress report, her gaze flickered back and forth between the two Slytherins standing in the Room of Requirement across from her.

"You've come a long way," Severus said, smiling.

Regulus elbowed him with a grin. "Coming from Severus, that's high praise."

She huffed out a laugh. "Oh, I know. I'll cherish this moment forever."

Severus rolled his eyes. "You really have improved, you know. I'm certain you could keep out most Legilimens, but if it were a situation where it would be more prudent to allow them access, I think you'd fair well distracting them with other memories. Hopefully, it'll never come to that, but I'd rather have you prepared."

She chewed her lip for a moment before asking, "Do you think my shield would hold against Dumbledore?"

His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline while Regulus' mouth hung open.

Ava wrung her hands together. "Do you think it would hold?" she repeated.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "And why exactly would you like to know?"

"I'd like to meet with him sooner rather than later about moving against Voldemort. I didn't approach him initially because I didn't trust him to not demand the entire truth or mold me into a weapon or something, but I can't exactly duel Voldemort by myself, can I?" The boys stared at her in silence. "I don't think the Headmaster will try to read my mind necessarily, though I do have a plan if it comes to that, if he doesn't trust me enough to listen I mean." Regulus opened his mouth, but she continued. "Aunt Minerva and I are meeting with him tomorrow, so she'll be there. I highly doubt Dumbledore will try to manipulate me, mentally or otherwise, while she's with me."

Severus scoffed. "I certainly hope not."

"I would think that the destroyed Horcrux would be enough evidence that you don't support the Dark Lord," Regulus said.

Ava nodded. "We'll see tomorrow. So, anything else you guys want to practice tonight?"

Severus cast _Tempus_ and muttered a curse. "We've only got fifteen minutes before curfew."

"Damn," she said with wide eyes.

Regulus chuckled. "We weren't just being nice when we said that you've improved, Ava. Your endurance and stamina is much better that it used to be."

Severus turned from them and grabbed his schoolbag from the study table the Room provided. "Come, if we hurry, we won't get caught."

Ava shook her head as she approached the table. "No, it's fine. I don't want to chance you two getting detention just for being polite. I can walk down to my quarters on my own."

"You sure?" he asked with a quirked brow.

"We can still walk with her until we've got to split off," Regulus reminded him while shouldering his bag.

Severus seemed to mull over the idea before giving Ava a nod. The three of them left the Room of Requirement and descended the floors of the quiet, dimly light castle until they needed to break off in separate directions. Parting with a wave goodbye, Ava headed down the stairs while the boys spun the opposite way, down the corridor to the stairs on the other side of the castle which led to the dungeons.

She was halfway down the staircase when it shuddered and began to shift. With a gasp, Ava clutched onto the stone railing for dear life, not having experienced one of the moving sets of stairs before. "Jesus Christ," she muttered. "Really? Right now? _This_ is when you decide to have some fun with me? Right before curfew?" She rolled her eyes and waited for the ride to come to a full and complete stop before continuing down the steps. Taking a look at her surroundings, she was grateful to find she recognized the corridor. It held a handful of classrooms and the library branched off the far end, with another set of stairs just past there that she could use to get down to the next floor.

As she walked down the hallway, Ava's thoughts ran through her homework assignments before drifting to review her plan on how to handle Dumbledore the next day if he proved obstinate, but a chorus of whispers grabbed her attention. It sounded as though a group of people were quietly arguing around the corner, which was exactly where she needed to pass. Normally, she would've just kept her head down and scurried past the students, but Ava could've sworn she heard the words "Dark Lord" uttered.

Her feet froze in place as she quickly palmed her wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm on herself. She tiptoed along the edge of the corridor, right to the end, and paused. More whispers and hushes reached her ears, so she leaned forward and carefully peered around the corner. _I should've known_, she thought, spotting Lucius Malfoy standing with Avery, McNair, and Goyle. She noticed Avery and Malfoy were holding old texts that they had clearly checked out from the library. _Even Death Eaters have got to study apparently_, she mused. Even though she was practically invisible, Ava knew it'd be just her luck that one of the Slytherins would be able to identify the subtle sheen of magic that coated someone under a Disillusionment Charm, so she stayed put and listened.

"…and it'll have to be enough for now," Malfoy whispered.

Someone scoffed.

"You can't tell him no, Lucius," a deep voice said, sounding more like Goyle than the others.

"Yeah, Malfoy. Our Dark Lord isn't one to suffer idiots or cowards."

Her stomach turned over, realizing this was a conversation she _definitely_ didn't want to be caught eavesdropping in on.

"I've already made my pledge, and I _will_ take the mark, but only after graduation," Malfoy said. "That doesn't make me a coward, just intelligent. Why would I risk my education and freedom now when I can perform a task to prove my loyalty when I'm no longer under the watchful eye of Dumbledore?"

A grunt sounded that Ava could only interpret as agreement.

"Well, I'm not going to wait. We'll be home for Christmas Break, so that's when I'll prove my loyalty. Plus, I'm already seventeen, so I don't have the trace anymore." The creepy delight laced in the tone of the speaker made Ava think it was McNair speaking.

"What are you planning on offering?" Goyle asked.

"I think our Lord would appreciate some Muggles to play with," McNair said, exuding confidence.

Ava's skin crawled. Granted, she knew that some of the Death Eaters had no qualms about murder or torture, but she hadn't thought it was a trait the followers had prior to joining Voldemort's ranks. He was still just a seventeen-year-old kid. _Though, Voldemort did make his first Horcrux before leaving Hogwarts_, she admitted.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Malfoy drawled. "Although with your skill set, I suppose barbaric torture is the best your primitive mind could come up with."

Sounds of scuffling reached her ears.

"Careful now, McNair." Malfoy's tone was ice cold. "Wouldn't want to lose your favorite piece of equipment."

Ava took a chance to peek around the corner once more and bit her lip to hold back a laugh. Goyle was forcing McNair's arms behind his back while Malfoy had his wand fixed on the brute's crotch. Avery stood off to the side with his arms crossed, looking bored.

"As entertaining as your quarreling is, I'd like to make it back to our common room before curfew," Avery said before heading towards the corridor Ava was hiding in.

_Shit_. She retreated a few steps and pressed her back against the castle wall, taking shallow breaths. The cool tingle over her body reassured Ava that the Disillusionment Charm was still in place. As long as she stayed still, the Slytherins shouldn't spot her.

Curses and stomping feet echoed down the hallway, and she steeled her nerves right as McNair stormed around the corner, with Avery following closely. Just a moment later, Goyle and Malfoy turned down the corridor, and Goyle's schoolbag swayed a little too close for comfort. Ava sucked in a breath as his bag nearly collided with her. After he passed, she glanced up to find Malfoy standing in the middle of the hallway, his narrowed eyes cautiously roving over the section of the castle wall where she happened to be plastered against. _Motherfucker. How am I supposed to explain this? There's four of them. Shit. I'm going to get my ass kicked._

"Lucius?" Goyle called out, a ways down the corridor now.

The blond haired wizard waved his friend on. "I left something in the library. Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you."

_Thank you baby Jesus,_ Ava thought, relief flooding her body. Malfoy might be a prick, but she didn't think he'd tear her to shreds on his own. _I might be able to take him._ She quickly determined which spells she'd launch at him as she raised her wand.

His eyes lit up. "Found you," he muttered before casting _Revelio_ quicker than she could've prepared for.

_Fuck me_. Ava could feel the cool cover of her charm evaporate, exposing her to Malfoy, and her fingers curled tighter around her Blackthorn.

Surprise flickered across his face before he was able to school his angular features, but he couldn't hide the interested gleam in his gray eyes. "Miss McGonagall. You're not who I expected to find sneaking around the castle at this hour." He hadn't put his wand away, but his arm had dropped back down to his side.

She swallowed. Being alone with any Death Eater was nerve-wracking, but at least he didn't appear hostile. "For the record, I was just trying to get back to my quarters."

Malfoy rose a pale eyebrow. "And yet here you are."

Ava tried to think of a decent excuse, but came up blank.

He tilted his head slightly and smirked. "You know, your behavior is more befitting of a Slytherin than a Gryffindor—lurking in the shadows to conspire against your perceived enemies."

Her lips curled into a small smile. "The Sorting Hat actually considered placing me there."

Malfoy let out a deep chuckle. "We would've eaten you alive, little lion," he said, taking a couple steps closer to her.

Ava moved to retreat from him, but her back was already up against the wall. Dread pooled in her stomach. "I didn't hear anything, if that's what you're worried about," she blurted.

He crept closer and dropped his voice. "What exactly were you hoping to gain from eavesdropping on a conversation you had no business listening to?"

Her brain seemed to short circuit as his arms caged her in. She had been prepared for an angry assault, not this commanding, but soft approach Malfoy seemed to be taking. His proximity allowed for his expensive cologne to waft up her nostrils. _Bleh, too much. Why is he so close?_

His eyes were locked on hers. "Since you more than likely overheard something you shouldn't have, it's only fair you reciprocate."

Ava's brow furrowed.

"Tell me a secret, Avalynn. Something no one else knows," he whispered, his minty breath fanning her face.

_Is he trying to seduce information out of me?_ she wondered incredulously. Her tongue flicked out, wetting her lips to speak, and she noticed Malfoy's eyes darting down to watch the movement. _Is he seriously coming onto me?_ She couldn't decide if she was amused or terrified. "Aren't you marrying Narcissa Black?" rushed out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Malfoy's gaze drifted back up to hers and he cocked a brow. "Yes. What does that have to do with anything?"

Ava shot him a look. "Really?" she asked, using what little space there was between them to gesture to his body.

His face scrunched up in disdain as he pulled away. "Don't be so uncouth, McGonagall. I was merely trying to—" he said, before tensing and narrowing his eyes. His arms shot out towards her, his fingers digging into her shoulders as he shoved her backwards, pinning her against the castle wall.

"What the hell, Malfoy?" she snapped, the back of her head erupting in pain as it smacked the stone behind her.

He pressed one arm across Ava's chest, holding her in place, and jabbed his wand under her chin.

Her eyes widened as she grasped at his arms, attempting to pry him off of her. "What the actual fuck? I didn't do anything," she said, frantically squirming to break free.

"How do you know about my engagement to Narcissa?" he snarled. "We haven't announced it."

_Holy shit. Not good. SO not good_. "I—um, I—", Ava stuttered, mind whirling. _I can't tell him the truth,_ she thought._ But what the hell can I tell him?_ He pressed the tip of his wand harder against the underside of her chin as she scrambled for an explanation. "I just know things sometimes. Please, I didn't mean anything by it."

"What do you mean 'you know things'?" he asked with a frown. "What kind of things?" Though he hadn't released her, the anger in his voice had lessened and his wand faltered in its lethal position. "Like a Seer?"

"Yes! I can see glimpses of future events." She would've grabbed onto any lifeline thrown her way at that moment and was grateful that Malfoy had just unknowingly given her one. "I don't really know much about Seers, but that must be it." His eyes scrutinized her face, likely looking for any tell of deceit. "The, uh…visions are usually hazy and don't always happen the way I see them, but I saw you and Narcissa getting married."

His eyes stared deep into hers for a few tense moments before he dropped his arms and stepped away. Righting his robes, he asked, "You wouldn't be lying to me, would you, little lion?"

Ava held back an eye roll at his use of the condescending nickname. For a moment, his gaze bored into her very soul and she shivered as his presence tentatively slithered against her mind. Without hesitation, she lashed out, ejecting him from her head. "Talk about uncouth, Malfoy. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to poke your nose where you don't belong?" She stood with her hands resting on her hips, and startled when the Slytherin threw his head back and laughed.

He shook his head. "You are an utter delight, Miss McGonagall." He shot a charming smile at her. "Be thankful that Narcissa and I already signed our marriage contract, otherwise I might feel inclined to pursue you."

Her eyebrows shot up. "What? Besides the fact that I'm with Remus Lupin, I'm a Half-blood." She sneered. "I figured I was too dirty to mingle with someone so above my station."

He shrugged. "Half-bloods have their uses. Severus is quite adept with Potions and I know he creates spells in his spare time, proving that he has magical talent that shouldn't go to waste. You've progressed through classes at an accelerated rate, you've proven to have natural Slytherin attributes, which I applaud," he said with a smile, "I enjoy our repartee, and now you tell me that you're a Seer. Why wouldn't I be interested in a relationship with you?"

Ava's mouth hung open. This isn't anywhere near where she thought this confrontation would be heading when Malfoy discovered her. Before she could collect her thoughts, he continued.

"My mother did teach me manners, but she also taught me to respect Seers."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Her ancestors always put stock in Divination and prophecies and everything of that sort, and it's paid off every time over the centuries. I may not be as firm of a believer as my mother, but it would be foolish to ignore signs of a true Seer when one is standing in front of me."

She let out a breath. "So, you believe me?"

His face held an unreadable expression, but he nodded.

He stayed silent, but Ava could see the wheels turning in his head, probably trying to determine how to use the situation in his favor. "I want you to take a Wizard's Oath. Swear that you won't tell anyone what you know about me," she told him, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I'll keep your secret if you keep mine."

"What secret?" she asked nonchalantly.

He clicked his tongue. "I thought we were passed all that, McGonagall. Let's be candid, shall we?" His pointer finger tapped against his wand. "I'll swear to not reveal your abilities to anyone, but I would ask that I'm allowed to seek you out for…consultation on occasion."

Ava's eyebrows shot up. "That's not exactly how it works," she started to say, but he waved her off.

"I'm aware, and I won't hold it against you if your gifts don't prove useful in the long run."

She couldn't keep the surprised look from her face if she tried.

"Come now, little lion. I'm not unreasonable," he told her with a smirk.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she murmured, shaking her head. "So, basically, you'll swear, on your magic, that you'll keep this information to yourself as long as I tell you about any useful visions that I have?"

He nodded and began to open his mouth, but she interrupted him.

"Obviously, I'll offer you something in return." She pressed her lips together for a moment. "I'll swear to protect your identity as a Death Eater, but just you. Not the other boys." _And maybe I can use this whole Seer thing to my advantage. Get Malfoy to understand what will really happen if he joins Voldemort._

Malfoy gave her a curious look, but nodded in agreement.

"I also want the right not to reveal any visions to you if they put people in danger," she added quickly.

His jaw clenched.

"But if I believe that it affects you directly, then I'll let you know," she said.

"I suppose that's reasonable," he grumbled.

"We have a deal then."

After several long moments of contemplating how to phrase her Oath, Ava insisted that Malfoy perform his first. He reluctantly complied, but gave her a look of approval. Once the pair finished completing their Wizard's Oaths, Malfoy dipped his head and said, "Goodnight, Miss McGonagall," before pivoting on his heel and strutting away from her.

Ava stared after him until he disappeared from sight, still reeling from their interaction. "Well, that was unexpected," she mumbled to herself.

"I'd certainly say so," a voice said.

With wide eyes, she whirled around, head spinning to find the person who managed to sneak up on her. She heard a chuckle and turned towards the source of the sound. It seemed to be coming from the castle wall. She squinted and took a few steps closer.

"Up here, witch," the same voice uttered.

Her eyes scaled the wall, taking in the portraits that hung there until movement caught her eye. A wizard was slowly pacing the length of his portrait, which appeared to be an office of some sort. He looked middle aged with his hair and pointed beard an inky black, and he was looking directly at her.

"Um, hi?" Ava greeted with a frown.

The wizard stopped walking and turned towards her with his hands clasped behind his back. He quirked an eyebrow. "Your lack of eloquence does you no favors, girl. Are you not the same witch who just negotiated a Wizard's Oath from the Malfoy heir?"

Her lips curved into a smile. "Clearly, I am since you offered your opinion on the matter. You must've witnessed the whole thing."

"Indeed," he said, returning her grin. "The Malfoy boy called you Miss McGonagall. Is it safe to assume that you are Avalynn McGonagall, the Professor's niece?"

She nodded.

"You've made quite the splash this year at Hogwarts, Miss McGonagall."

Her brow furrowed. "I have?"

He tsked. "Don't be silly, girl. It doesn't become you."

Ava nearly scoffed and opened her mouth to tell off the obnoxious portrait when he continued.

"You seemingly appeared out of nowhere, raised by Muggles, and began attending Hogwarts mere months ago, and yet your magical skills are nearly on par with your peers."

"So?"

The wizard let out a frustrated huff. "While there hasn't been a student in your exact predicament before, your rapid magical development is somewhat unheard of and rather intriguing."

Her stomach dropped. _I don't want to be interesting. I just want to blend in._ "Oh," she said, the worry in her tone obvious to even herself.

The annoyance on the wizard's face softened minutely. "You'll need to keep your wits about you, young lady."

Ava nodded absentmindedly, thoughts racing with the realization that she might've been drawing more attention to herself than she anticipated if even the portraits knew about her. _And now they know I'm claiming to be a Seer,_ she bemoaned internally. _At least Malfoy can't tell anyone_. She focused on the portrait. "Who are you?"

The wizard bowed slightly, bending forward at his waist. "Phineas Nigellus Black at your service, ma'am."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. _I know you_, she thought. "Oh? 'Ma'am', now is it? If you've heard about me, then you know I'm a Half-blood, right? That doesn't offend your delicate Pureblood sensibilities?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, as the Malfoy scion pointed out, Half-bloods can be contributing members of society. It's not as though you're a Mudblood." Ava rolled her eyes, causing the former Headmaster to laugh. "And that is precisely why you've landed yourself into Gryffindor, I'd imagine. Wearing your emotions and thoughts on your sleeve clear as day."

"Whatever. Keep your prejudices old man," she said, waving him off. "It only means you'll underestimate Muggleborns and Half-bloods, or anyone else you look down upon for no good reason."

Phineas narrowed his eyes and was silent for a few moments. "And that must be why the Sorting Hat thought you'd be a good fit in Slytherin."

Knowing that the portrait was a proud member of that House, Ava grinned widely. "Thank you, sir." She shifted on her feet. "Now, if you don't mind, it's gotta be after curfew by now and Aunt Minerva's not going to be pleased."

"Nonsense, young lady. I'll escort you myself."

Her mouth formed an "O" and before she could protest, Phineas walked through the office space in his portrait and appeared in the next one—a landscape with a meadow, blooming with wildflowers.

"We haven't got all night, Miss McGonagall," he called out.

She scrambled after him and walked briskly to keep up with his figure as he maneuvered through paintings. After having the wizard's company for only five minutes or so, Ava decided that she was glad that he offered to come along. While his demeanor was a bit prickly, he politely inquired about her current classes and how she was settling into Hogwarts, and seemed to be genuinely interested in hearing her thoughts. Ava informed him that she'd soon be testing out of Defense, Charms, and Transfiguration and moving into fifth, sixth, and fourth year, respectively. Every couple of questions, Phineas would circle back to her spell-casting abilities and extracurriculars, putting her on edge, but she brushed it off, ready to say goodbye at the door to her quarters.

Before she knew it, he had appeared in the portrait guarding the entrance and disappeared. With a frown, Ava muttered the password and stepped into the living room. Phineas hadn't gone far and was actually in her home, speaking to Aunt Minerva from a frame that hung above the mantle of the fireplace. Ava dropped her bag and joined the professor, soaking up the warmth from the fire. She looked up into what she thought had been a Muggle painting of a quaint cottage and made eye contact with Phineas before inspecting the rest of the framed image.

"I had no idea that this was a magical portrait," she thought aloud.

"Since it's just a landscape, it has no occupants. Usually, that is," Aunt Minerva said with a raised brow. Her gaze flicked between the painting and Ava a few times before she huffed. "I'll excuse your late return home this once since Phineas is claiming himself as the fault."

Ava's eyes widened slightly before she cleared her expression. "Right, uh, Headmaster Black here was just interested in how I was finding Hogwarts." _I wonder why he didn't mention Malfoy or the others._

"That's right, Minerva," Phineas piped up. "Your niece here has quite the talent and we're all curious to see where it takes her."

Professor McGonagall glanced at Ava out of the side of her eye. "Yes, well. It's time for the talented witch to get ready for bed. We have a meeting with the Headmaster bright and early tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes with an exaggerated groan. "Don't remind me."

A chuckle from Phineas drew her attention. "Not a fan of Dumbledore, young lady?"

She gave him a mere shrug, turning towards her bedroom. "Goodnight, both of you," she threw over her shoulder before closing the door.

As Ava prepared for sleep, she became more aware of confusion and worry filtering into her mind from the bond to Remus. While brushing her teeth, she realized that he must've felt her panic and anxiety earlier when dealing with Malfoy, and decided to write him a note before going to sleep. _This would be so much easier if I could just text him. I'll have to find something near instantaneous like that or maybe something like the DA coins._ She penned him a quick letter explaining that there was nothing to worry about and that she couldn't wait to see him the next day.

"Flopsy?"

A loud crack sounded, announcing the arrival of the house elf. "Yes, Missus?"

Ava held out the folded piece of parchment. "Can you please take this to Remus Lupin? He should be in Gryffindor Tower."

Flopsy grinned as she took the letter. "Is Missus passing love notes to a boy?"

She blushed, feeling called out. "No, I just don't want him to worry."

Still smiling like a loon, Flopsy nodded. "Of course, Missus."

"Thank you," she told the house elf with an amused shake of her head.

Another pop signaled Flopsy's departure and Ava settled into bed, not quite sure she wanted to tell anyone of the deal she struck with Malfoy.

* * *

Ava glanced around the circular walls of the Headmaster's Office, knee bouncing slightly in anticipation. She kept one hand on the box resting atop her thighs to keep it steady, slowly taking in the bookshelves lining the walls, filled with texts and magical trinkets and contraptions. Her eyes skimmed over the portraits hung near the ceiling and settled on the bright plumage of the phoenix perched next to Dumbledore's desk. Fawkes's head tilted and a soft trill sounded as he focused on the hidden Horcrux in Ava's lap. She wouldn't be surprised to find out that the bird could sense remnants of the dark magic currently contained within the charmed box.

Just like she wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore tried to access her memories during this meeting. Ava shored up her mental shield, hoping to block him if he tried to enter her mind. When she had mentioned the possibility to Aunt Minerva, the older with seemed to doubt the lengths Dumbledore was willing to go to gain information that could help the Order of the Phoenix. Granted, this was still just the First Wizarding War, so maybe the wizard wasn't quite as ruthless in his scheming yet, but still. Ava needed to be prepared for any version of Dumbledore to make an appearance when it came to the "greater good."

The bearded Headmaster peered at her from behind his half-mooned spectacles, his blue eyes darting between Ava and Professor McGonagall, likely still trying to make sense of the story they had just told him. "Minerva, I assume that you were aware of Ava's situation from the beginning? I'm surprised you didn't come to me when seeking a way to return her to her world."

"Don't blame her for anything," Ava said quickly. "I practically forced her to take a Wizard's Oath before I gave her any details, and she's not allowed to share without my explicit permission." Her aunt had agreed to not tell Dumbledore about the involvement of her friends or Remus, so as far as he was aware, some unknown magic had transported Ava to this alternate world. She had considered using the same explanation as she did for Malfoy, claiming that she was a Seer, but she worried that Dumbledore might not put any stock in the information she would provide.

"And yet you haven't demanded an Oath from myself?" he asked.

She smiled. "Not yet. I will before I divulge anything of importance, and I expect that you'd like for me to take a Wizard's Oath as well?"

He nodded, returning her smile.

"Well, I'm hoping that this will also help convince you that I'm on your side," she said, shifting forward in her seat, indicating the box in her lap.

The Headmaster leaned over his desk to peer at the object.

Ava took out her wand and paused, glancing at Dumbledore. "You'll probably sense the dark magic, but it's been rendered inert. It's not strong enough to do anything anymore."

He narrowed his eyes, distrust blatant in his expression.

She huffed out a laugh. "Headmaster, I'm not stupid enough to attempt you any harm. Nor would I want to. I'm here to gain you as an ally in the war against Voldemort. Before it gets any worse." She unlocked the box and stood, placing it on Dumbledore's desk before lifting the lid.

Professor McGonagall, having already witnessed the destroyed Horcrux, hadn't moved from her seat. Dumbledore, however, stood from his chair to look down at the withered diadem and cast a few spells that Ava assumed were to detect any curses or other dangerous spells layered into the object.

"Is this truly what it appears to be?" he asked, dropping back into his chair with a tired sigh.

Ava's lips pressed into a grim line. "Yes. This is one of Tom Riddle's Horcruxes. I wasn't sure if you knew about these yet."

His blue eyes flashed to hers. "Yet? And this is just one of them?"

"He currently has four that I know of. In 1981, Voldemort is supposed to be…attacked, and everyone will think he's dead—"

"But due to his Horcruxes, he'll remain alive, even if it is in a lesser state," Dumbledore finished, pausing for a few moments. "I considered that Tom would look to darker magics to secure the power and influence that he desired, but I hadn't thought he would go so far."

"I knew the diadem was in the Room of Requirement and I used Basilisk venom to destroy it, as you can see."

The old wizard sighed once more. "The very crown that belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw and was thought to be lost?"

She nodded.

His expression seemed to lament the loss of such a precious artifact. "What exactly would you ask of me?"

Ava lifted her chin. "I want to join the Order."

His gray eyebrows rose as his eyes flicked to McGonagall and back to her.

"Hopefully, we can end this war much sooner than the original time line, and to do that, I'd like to attend meetings so I can be aware of the plans. I'm not asking to be on the front lines or anything, but I can contribute to the cause with the information that I already know."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As admirable as that offer is, Miss McGonagall, I doubt you have enough information to warrant becoming an active member of the Order. I can't help but question the wisdom of allowing an underaged witch, who is still in school, to join forces against a dark wizard."

"I'm already seventeen," she said, waving him off. "I'd prefer to stay on the sidelines and not have a very involved role. I just want the chance to provide useful information and insight to certain events. Also, I can help with collecting the remaining Horcruxes."

The wizard straightened in his chair. "And you know the locations of the others?"

She nodded. "And I'll tell you, but I need a Wizard's Oath from you first."

"I'll agree to such, but I require an Unbreakable Vow in return."

Professor McGonagall gasped and began to protest, but Ava held up her hand, having anticipated this. This is exactly why her aunt currently held a list of predetermined questions in her hands. Having done her research, Ava knew that the Wizard's Oath was enough to bind her promises, but the Unbreakable Vow would force Ava to follow the compulsion of the magic and Dumbledore's will, which she was most definitely not willing to do.

"Instead of the Unbreakable Vow, I'll take the Wizard's Oath, but I also offer to answer questions under Veritaserum. Questions that we've written down for you."

The old wizard was silent, blue eyes not twinkling as his gaze focused on her.

"I wouldn't mind adding the traditional Order of the Phoenix member Oath as well." She paused, glancing at her aunt out of the corner of her eye. "That is, assuming you have one. If not, you need to create one."

Dumbledore looked taken aback, probably not having thought that the situation was dire enough to demand a sworn Oath from the Order members.

"Trust me," she said. "It's necessary."

His face hardened. "Why would you suggest something like that?"

Ava shook her head. "I'm not going to divulge any specifics until I have an Oath from you as well."

"If you're truly on the side of the light, why would I ever turn you over to Tom and his followers?"

She gave him a small smile with a tilt of her head. "I'm not worried about that, necessarily. I'm more concerned with how you plan to use the information I provide."

Surprise flickered through his gaze so quick she might've missed it had she not been scrutinizing his expression for any tells about his thoughts.

Ava made the mistake of looking into his eyes and felt a subtle, soft presence brush up against her mental shield. She launched to her feet and snapped, "I'm coming to you, more than willing to offer assistance against Voldemort, but I will not give you free range to my entire mind."

"Albus!" McGonagall admonished from next to her.

He clapped with a smile, appearing delighted. "Wonderful!"

Ava frowned at him.

"Dear child, I would never enter your mind without explicit permission. I was merely testing your mental defenses. You've been quite busy since arriving at our school," he told her with approval lacing his tone. "You've only succeeded to assure me further that I'm making the right decision."

The tension dropped from her body and she sat back down in her seat. "So, where does this leave us?"

"I'll settle for your original offer—a Wizard's Oath and questioning under Veritaserum using the questions provided. May I peruse them first?" He reached out a hand towards McGonagall who handed him the parchment. His eyes scanned the paper while bobbing his head and just a minute later, he looked to Ava and said, "These are quite well thought out, Miss McGonagall."

She nodded. "Well, I wanted to be prepared as possible. This is serious sh—stuff." She could feel her face redden in embarrassment, but Dumbledore merely smiled as she continued. "What I mean is, this isn't a game to me. I personally know people, people I'm friends with, who will be hurt if I don't take action."

"I'll swear my Oath now and then we'll proceed with the Veritaserum. Is there anything in particular that you'd like for me to include?"

She had already given this some thought. "I want you to swear that any information I pass onto you is then passed onto your most trusted lieutenants but no one else unless the Order member is vital to the mission. Any information I give to you should be shared on a strict need-to-know basis, but you can't keep all of it to yourself. I'd also like a complete list of the current members and in the future, I want to be made aware of any new members joining."

He peered at her with a silent, calculating gaze.

"Either you agree to that, or we're done here. Those aren't demands that I'll budge on. You can keep or destroy the list of members once I'm done reading it, if that's what you're worried about."

The Headmaster nodded before holding out his wand and swearing the magical Oath, worded exactly how Ava asked for. He stood from behind his desk and strode over to a bookshelf that housed a wooden box that appeared much like the one residing in Ava's lap. He waved his wand and a faint click sounded, and he lifted the lid on the box, removing a glass vial.

A brief smirk graced Ava's lips. Aunt Minerva had doubted that Dumbledore would have the Ministry-regulated Veritaserum on hand, but Ava knew the old wizard didn't always follow the letter of the law when it would benefit him.

He returned to his desk and pulled out the stopper before handing the bottle to Ava. "Only two small sips are needed."

Ava glanced to her aunt and only took a drink of the truth serum once the older witch nodded.

"It should be only a minute or so before it takes effect. While we wait, why don't you tell me about yourself, Ava?"

"Me?" she asked with a small frown.

The Headmaster chuckled. "Yes, dear, you. How are your classes going?"

"Great, actually. Magic is pretty amazing and I love learning all about it. It's incredible what you can do if you put your mind to it. Not that I've really created anything because I'm not quite there yet, but it's interesting to see what wizards have been able to come up with."

He gave her a friendly smile. "Magic is truly remarkable. I cannot refute that when evidence of its wonders is sitting right in front of me. How do you find yourself fitting in with your peers?"

She couldn't stop a grin from forming on her face at the thought of her friends. "They're wonderful. I'm super glad that I have them." The thought of losing any one of them sobered her and she looked to Professor McGonagall. "As much as I love Aunt Minerva, I'm positive my sanity is only still in tact because of my friends." She turned back to Dumbledore. "Both Gryffindors _and_ Slytherins."

A gray eyebrow rose.

She huffed out a breath, taking his silence as judgment for her choices. The feeling to speak her mind overwhelmed her. "Not that I particularly care what you think." Her fists clenched atop the armrests of her chair. "Or anyone else for that matter. They can just go fuck themselves."

Aunt Minerva gasped from beside her and she heard titters of laughter from the portraits of former Headmasters and Headmistresses. She glanced up at the paintings and found several of the occupants laughing or smiling, while others threw reproachful looks her way. A familiar figure caught her eye and she smiled when even the old-school Phineas winked at her.

"Avalynn," her aunt scolded, drawing her attention back to the professors sitting with her.

Her face flamed as she realized what she had just said. "I didn't mean to—"

Dumbledore chuckled and raised a hand. "It's quite alright. I have a feeling the Veritaserum is loosening your tongue."

"Still, sorry, sir," she said with a grimace.

"Shall we?" he asked, picking up the parchment listing her previously chosen questions.

She nodded.

"Very well. Why do you want to help the Order of the Phoenix?" he asked.

_Easy_. "It's the best way to help everyone. Voldemort needs to be stopped before Halloween night, 1981." _Huh_. She hadn't meant to include that specific detail about the date.

"Are you loyal to the Order of the Phoenix and what it stands for?"

"Yes. I want to keep my friends safe, but I agree with the underlying mission of the Order. People and magical creatures shouldn't be seen as lesser just because they're different. Prejudiced Purebloods can't be the only people running the Wizarding World."

"Are you loyal to Albus Dumbledore?"

Ava kept silent for a moment, trying to force a rehearsed answer she had practiced, but her mouth couldn't form the words. _Here goes nothing_, she thought with a grimace. "As long as he doesn't put anyone I care about in danger." From the twitch of the old wizard's lips, she could tell he didn't take her response personally. And honestly, her answer wasn't as harsh as she thought it could've been.

"Are you loyal to Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort?"

Ava couldn't hold back the murderous glare as she spat, "Never. He's an evil asshole who would attack a baby in order to stay in power and gain immortality. He has no business being in a governing position of the Wizarding World."

If he was shocked by her anger towards someone she had never personally met, he didn't show it. "Why are you friendly with known future Death Eaters?"

"Because they're my friends. Regardless of what they are capable of, I know that they aren't exactly willing participants," she said.

Dumbledore frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

She fumed for a couple seconds before taking a deep breath. While the question hadn't been on her list, it wasn't completely out of line. Besides, now that he asked it, she could feel the potion compelling her to respond. "How can they be considered willing when they don't understand the true nature of Voldemort? They don't realize what kind of lifestyle he's leading them to, and I know that at least a few of them will want out as it becomes more clear."

He looked as though he wanted to inquire further, but he nodded and moved onto the next question. "How do you plan to aide the Order of the Phoenix?"

"In any way possible."

He gave her a small smile. "Can you be more specific?"

Ava gave an annoyed huff considering that they had already discussed this and Dumbledore was likely just fishing for more details. "I will provide information about the people and events that I can remember, in the hopes that it'll save lives, and help locate and destroy Horcruxes." He opened his mouth to ask the next question, but the Veritaserum urged her on. "I will do anything required of me, even if that includes fighting on the front lines against Death Eaters or Voldemort himself." She paled, not having expected that answer from herself. From the surprised looks on both her aunt and the Headmaster, they hadn't either. While Ava knew she might be able to stand her ground against some of the Death Eaters, there was no way in hell that she'd be able to battle Voldemort and live.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "How will you respond if you are discovered?"

"I could go into hiding, in a safe house, like I know others did in the original time line. If I'm captured, I would let myself die before I revealed anything that would bring harm to others." She could hear Aunt Minerva suck in breath at her admission.

"What is your primary goal?"

Unbidden tears sprung to her eyes. "I want them all to have the lives they deserve. They should be surrounded by friends and family, not loss and danger."

Sympathy shone in Dumbledore's gaze as he asked one last question, one sprung from his own curiosity. "Who are 'they', Miss McGonagall?"

She reached up to wipe away the teardrops that fell down her cheeks. "James, Lily, and Harry. Remus, Sirius. Severus and Regulus. Fred and George. Dobby. Hedwig." Ava could feel the compulsion to continue listing people start to wear off, but more names began to fall from her lips. "Barty. Rabastan. M—." Her mouth clamped shut of its own accord, and she rode out the last bit of the potion, willing away the dark thoughts that plagued her mind whenever she thought of the original time line and how their fates rested on her shoulders.

When her vision cleared, Ava saw Dumbledore stroking his beard in thought. "It seems you included those that you might not be good friends with, but you'd choose to protect them as well."

His underlying question was clear. "Like I said before. There are some of them that don't know what they've signed up for and they haven't done anything wrong," she said. "I haven't yet, nor will I ever, trust anyone who I am unsure of. You can be certain of that."

The Headmaster gave her a nod and rose from his desk. "Miss McGonagall, you're free to go. I'm sure your friends will be at breakfast soon enough with the Hogsmeade trip to look forward to. I'll discuss specifics with your aunt about introducing you to the Order."

Ava beamed. "Thank you, sir." She waved goodbye to Aunt Minerva and flashed a quick smile at Phineas, and spun to leave the office, descending the spiral staircase before heading in the direction of the Great Hall.

Her thoughts focused on her soulmate and the fact that she hadn't so much as kissed him in nearly twelve hours. Ava giggled at herself, realizing how desperate that sounded, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Not when Remus made her feel loved and cherished. His touches, whether soft or rough, always made her feel like an absolute goddess. Images of their intimate encounters flashed across her mind, making her flush. She loved that Moony wanted her as much as Remus did, and that only helped solidify the fact that soulmates were quite real and he was definitely hers. She bit her lip and trailed her finger across the scar at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Her magic tingled with pleasure at the reminder of Moony claiming her as his mate.

A flash of a memory caused Ava to freeze in her steps. Lost in a haze of desire with Remus the afternoon before, his words resurfaced. Blurred together through a growl, they must not have registered in her mind in the heat of the moment, but now they rang through her head crystal clear. _Can't wait to put my cub in you_. Ava's eyes widened to saucers as she stood in the middle of the empty corridor, nausea rising in her stomach. _Holy shit. We can't have a fucking kid right now! What is he thinking?_ Her thoughts whirled like a storm as she dashed through the hallways to the Hospital Wing.

She heaved the door open and stood at the entrance, panting and clutching a stitch in her side as her eyes darted around the large room for Madame Pomfrey. Spotting the nurse sitting in her office, Ava rushed over. "Madame Pomfrey!" she yelled, startling the matron.

"Merlin, Ava! What is it?" She bolted from her seat and began inspecting Ava.

Between breaths, she panted out, "What kind of contraceptives do wizards have?"

Madame Pomfrey stilled and then clucked. "Dear girl, that is not something you run in here screaming about, frightening my poor heart."

She nodded. "It is when I had sex a week ago and haven't taken anything."

The healer frowned as she shook her head. "I would've thought you'd be more responsible than that."

The obvious disappointment in her tone caused Ava to flinch. "I know, I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Well, come sit down and catch your breath." Madame Pomfrey gestured to the single chair next to her desk and walked over to a wooden cabinet, and she pulled out two vials of potions. Setting them down on the desk next to Ava, she said, "The cloudy, white one is a monthly contraceptive that prevents pregnancies, and you can come get one from me each month from now on. The light green one tastes as unpleasant as it looks, but you'll need to drink it since your judgment seems to have lapsed. You're lucky you came to me when you did. It can be consumed up to ten days after unprotected sex, but works best within seven. It'll put a stop to any potential pregnancy that's already taken root."

Ava looked at the glass vials with wide eyes and let out a deep breath. "Thank you so much, Madame Pomfrey. I swear, I'm not usually this irresponsible."

The matron huffed out a laugh. "You and every other girl that's come to me over the years," she muttered. "Hormones are a fickle thing, dear. At least you're here now. But don't let it happen again, or I'll be speaking to your aunt."

Ava gulped. That was _not_ a conversation she wanted to have. It was bad enough facing Madame Pomfrey like this, but at least the woman was a healer and dealt with health issues on a regular basis. "Of course, I promise." She pulled out the stopper for the green potion first, and downed it quickly, hoping that the second one would help wash down the awful taste. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey conjured Ava a glass of water to rinse her mouth out with before she continued on her path to the Great Hall.

She was only a couple minutes from the massive dining room when the door to a broom closet opened in front of her and Remus stepped out, dragging her inside before she could even let out a squeak. Her magic thrummed under his touch as his hands settled on her hips. The dark space was only lit by Remus's wand resting on a shelf beside him. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on the lips, deeply breathing in his comforting scent. "Not that I'm complaining, but we should probably get down to breakfast. Aren't you hungry?"

His eyes flashed amber as his pupils dilated. "I _am_ feeling quite ravenous at the moment," he said in a low voice. He nipped her ear and kissed his way down her neck to the mark his bite left behind, and he bit it once more, eliciting a moan from Ava. He squeezed her ass with one hand as his other parted her robes.

"Feel free to think of me as an all-you-can-eat buffet," she said breathlessly while rapidly unbuttoning the top half of her shirt, exposing her chest.

Remus growled and pulled one of her breasts out of her bra, and latched his mouth onto her nipple. He sucked and tugged on it with his teeth before soothing it with his tongue.

"God, Remus," she moaned. Ava's hand threaded through his hair and she pulled him up to her, dominating his mouth with her tongue.

After a few moments, he broke away and she let out an unwilling whimper, hating that she sounded so needy. But Remus seemed to enjoy it, if his resulting deep groan was anything to go by. He dropped to his knees, slipping her underwear down from under her skirt as he descended her body. Without warning, he wrapped his fingers around the back of her knees and lifted Ava's legs over his shoulders, supporting her bottom with his strong hands as she leaned back against a cabinet.

She let out a startled yelp that morphed into a moan as he dipped his head beneath her skirt and stroked his tongue up her wet slit. Ava had one hand on the back of his head and the other clutching onto a dusty shelf, holding on for dear life as she quivered against his face.

He swirled his tongue around her clit and flicked it repeatedly, bringing her to the peak of pleasure several times, before he coaxed her back down with gentle lapping using the flat of his tongue. He then thrust his tongue into her, making her pussy clench with the need to be filled.

"Please, Remus," she begged. He continued feasting on her, her legs twitching as the euphoric sensation mounted. She knew that he enjoyed hearing her pleasure vocalized, so she muttered in a trembling voice, "I love you licking my pussy."

Remus growled and sucked hard on her clit, forcing a wanton moan from Ava's lips.

"You make me feel so good, mate."

The werewolf gave a deep moan of his own before he softly dragged his teeth over her clit, sending shock waves of pleasure through her body.

"I wanna come, Remus. Please."

His mouth pulled away from her briefly, only long enough for him to demand, "Come for me, mate," before he licked the length of her pussy once more and wrapped his mouth around her clit, alternating between sucking and flicking it with his tongue, pushing her over the cliff of her orgasm.

She writhed against his face, moaning his name repeatedly until she came down from her high. She could feel Remus's desire for her and smug self-satisfaction traveling across their bond as he stood from beneath her skirt and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Ava slowly reached out for his waistband, intending to return the favor, but Remus grabbed her hands and said, "That's the first of the two orgasms you demanded for today, mate. Though I intend to pleasure you as many times as possible today."

Even though she had just come down from her orgasm, she sent a heated look his way, just anticipating the other times throughout the day when her soulmate might spring another round on her.

His tongue invaded her mouth for a deep kiss before he broke away. "We've got to get out of here and head to breakfast before we up spending the rest of the day in this broom closet," he growled, kneading her ass as he spoke.

Ava huffed a laugh. "Then you've got to stop touching me, Remus."

With a sigh, he pulled away and snatched his wand from the shelf.

She adjusted her clothes and then cracked the door open and peeked into the corridor. "The coast is clear," she said, stepping out of the closet.

Her werewolf joined her and linked their hands, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She grinned up at Remus and sent a wave of adoration through their bond, wanting to remind the wizard just how much she loved him. With their relationship being so new and intense, Ava knew that he still struggled occasionally with his self-worth and she was determined to do everything in her power to reinforce the fact that he deserved happiness.

Remus looked down at her with a fond smile and squeezed her hand.

Ava ducked her head to hide a smirk. She also intended to take advantage of their bond throughout the day while in Hogsmeade to drive her mate crazy with desire until they got back to the castle and he could have his wicked way with her.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm sorry for the lack of weekly updates recently, I've been struggling hardcore with motivation, but I'm back! Enjoy! :)
> 
> Thank you everyone for all of the kudos and comments! :D
> 
> Remember: No need to feel shy if you want to let me know what you think :)
> 
> Review shout-out: Mayamelissa, Gummybearlover0945, and Kimberly, thank you!
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 38**

Nearly a week later found Avalynn skipping out of her Charms class and heading towards the library for a tutoring session with Severus and Regulus. They were to spend at least an hour in their quiet study spot so she could focus on Astronomy before heading down to the dungeons with Severus after dinner. Since she would be taking the third-year exam for Potions the following week, she needed to practice her brewing skills. Ava thought she'd be just fine, but the future Potions Master wouldn't let any "bouts of laziness" interfere with his perfect record as her tutor.

During this last class, Professor Flitwick had the students carefully practicing _Incendio_ within a containment spell, which proved necessary for a handful of her fellow sixth-year Gryffindors and a couple Ravenclaws. She loved learning the higher level charms, like _Incendio_, and _Glacius_, which they covered last week, since they could prove useful in a duel among other situations. Ava made a mental note to research other spells that might not seem obvious to use in a magical attack. Sure, it might take her a while to find those kind of spells since they'd likely be considered obscure or gray—_God forbid_, she thought with a roll of her eyes—but you never know what spell might come in handy. _Especially when you're messing with wizards more powerful than yourself._

As she descended a staircase, Ava thought back to her premature declaration of being enrolled in all seventh-year courses by Christmas. _Just a tad ambitious_. With the holiday break only three weeks away, the only class she'd be a seventh year in might be Charms if she pushed herself hard enough. _But I'll definitely graduate with everyone else_, she thought resolutely. She would have to push herself harder than she did the first semester if she truly wanted to be leaving Hogwarts along with her friends. Granted, if she was forced to remain at the school for another year, she'd still have some friends from the younger classes, but Ava was convinced she could do it.

She was thankful that the Ministry was allowing her to take her O.W.L.s as she progressed through the subjects, rather than sitting them all at once. Having no brain power or strength of will to consider a future career at the moment, she was just striving for the best possible scores she could manage. _I'll worry about a job later,_ she thought, _once Voldemort is taken care of._

Aunt Minerva had told Ava that Dumbledore would induct her into the Order at a meeting over the Christmas break, and she was anticipating it with both dread and excitement. The Headmaster wanted to meet with her a few times before the induction meeting, so hopefully her nerves would wear off as she got used to being in his presence. The young witch wanted to keep her specific involvement in the Order as quiet as possible and planned to inform Dumbledore that she'd only reveal her true role to his most trusted lieutenants. She only hoped that it would fall under the magically sworn words of her Oath to Dumbledore, which could only be so detailed, and she couldn't have included every little thing in the binding words.

As it was, her amends to Dumbledore's original request for her Oath had pushed the old wizard's patience. _Like how he asked me to vow to protect every student while working towards the goal of eliminating Voldemort_, she thought with an eye roll as she approached the huge library doors. She wasn't sure if the Headmaster was aware, but there were definitely some students she had no intention of wasting energy on because they were too emphatic about their hatred of Muggles or Muggleborns. No, her Oath only bound her to "take actions that would help vanquish Voldemort and his Horcruxes as well as assist the Order of the Phoenix in dismantling the Death Eaters and other followers of Tom Riddle, while protecting those who cannot defend themselves or are deemed worthy." Dumbledore wasn't happy about her last minute addition of those that she finds worthy because of how subjective it was, but she didn't care. Ava didn't want to be beholden to the old wizard to save every single person or only the people he believed would be worth the effort. It seemed only fair that she choose exactly who she'd be risking her neck for.

Her first meeting with the old wizard was purely for an exchange of information—the list of current members for the whereabouts of the remaining Horcruxes. For the thousandth time, she reminded herself to warn him about the Gaunt ring and dissuade him from putting it on, regardless of how much he desired the Hallows. Of course, Ava didn't think he'd take too kindly to her insinuation, but she'd really like him to stick around for the final showdown with Voldemort. So, she needed to make it clear that she understood his compulsion to wear the cursed object in hopes that he'd actually listen.

She strided down the rows of bookshelves and emerged near their usual study table, joining Severus and Regulus. Just a moment later, Barty appeared and settled himself next to her. She flashed him a smile while internally ruminating in smugness about the fact that the young wizard hadn't hesitated to sit near her. Neither did he flinch from her closeness.

The group had been diligently working for a few minutes when a throat being cleared disrupted the silence. Ava glanced up to see a familiar looking boy with dark brown hair and matching eyes standing to the side of their table, between herself and Regulus. He looked to be a couple years young than her, and his appearance was all neat and polished. But even with his Slytherin tie, Ava couldn't place him.

"Hey, Rabastan. This is Avalynn McGonagall," Regulus said, gesturing to her. "Ava, this is Rabastan Lestrange."

_Oh shit. Duh._ Ava whipped up a friendly smile and held out her hand.

He eyed her hand warily and then flicked his dark gaze up to hers as he gripped her hand tightly.

_Asshole_, she thought, still maintaining her smile through the pain he was purposefully inflicting upon her poor fingers.

Thankfully, he snatched his hand away quickly and turned to Regulus. "I can seek you out some other time. Perhaps in the common room later tonight?"

Sensing an opportunity, Ava waved him off. "Nonsense. You guys can talk now. We're all working on our own things anyway." She shuffled her parchment and books together and shifted them over to clear space for Rabastan. Noticing the silence from the others, she looked up to see Severus and Regulus throwing her knowing expressions and Barty actually appeared to be a little alarmed at the thought of Rabastan joining them.

Even after Regulus seconded her suggestion, Rabastan was hesitant as he swiveled a chair from the table behind them and took a seat between his fellow Slytherin and Ava. She resumed citing evidence for her Astronomy essay and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Barty and Severus continued working as well. However, she couldn't help but overhear Rabastan asking Regulus about _Multicorfors_ and its spell theory for a Transfiguration assignment.

Professor McGonagall had been insistent that her own niece understand the theories of Transfiguration spells front to back, and in her sleep, so Ava knew fairly well what they were discussing, even if it was a year ahead of her current workload. For a few minutes, she managed to hold her tongue, assuming that Rabastan wouldn't appreciate her butting in, but she couldn't keep to herself any longer when they made an incorrect assumption.

"Regulus, Rabastan," she said softly, grabbing their attention. Regulus had his lips pressed together in a firm line and seemed to be begging her with his eyes to not instigate anything, and Rabastan's face showed clear annoyance at being interrupted. "I just wanted to let you know that the _Multicorfors_ spell doesn't work on the level you're thinking of. Other spells, like _Lapifors_ and _Piscifors_ do, but that's because the spell is physically altering the entire object—well, animal—itself but _Multicorfors_ is magic on a smaller scale. So, the intention behind the spell needs to be different and not necessarily more precise in the manner you were discussing."

Irritation slipped from Rabastan's face, replaced by curiosity. "What do you mean?"

She shifted in her seat. "Well, _Multicorfors_ is just changing the color of the fabric, right? You aren't transfiguring the fabric itself, so in theory, it should be easier. However, if the clothes are being worn, then you have to adjust your intention and visualization of the spell to account for the human body parts that you don't want to change. So, you don't need to be precise with the object you're trying to transfigure, more like you need to be precise about the area around the object you don't want altered."

At this point, even Barty and Severus were listening to her. "It can be easier if you think about the clothes as the individual threads being the object changed, rather than the item of clothing itself. That way, you don't accidentally transfigure it into something else or catch a body part in the process. Your magic can be more focused and precise if you cast the spell like that. I visualize the dye of the color I want seeping into the fabric, slowly spreading and converting into the new color. The magic will stay contained within the threads of the clothing and you shouldn't have any trouble." By the time Ava finished explaining, she could feel her obvious enthusiasm leaking out, resulting in a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

Regulus was watching her with a soft smile and Rabastan's mouth was hanging open slightly.

"That's brilliant, Ava," Barty said.

Brows furrowed, Rabastan seemed to be considering her words, but then his face morphed into a sneer. "I don't recall asking for your help, McGonagall."

She stared at him blankly, keeping a tight rein on her temper. "You're right," she said coolly, catching Regulus's eyebrows raise out of the corner of her eye. She picked up her quill. "There's no need to listen to me, it's not like I _live_ with an _expert_ on the subject or anything." She heard a strangled laugh slip out of Barty, but ignored it and began to read over her essay.

A harsh sigh sounded. "What are your sources?" Rabastan bit out.

Ava peered up at him and rattled off three different texts he could consult to verify her explanation of the spell theory. She took in her friends' faces as the reluctant Slytherin wrote down the titles and authors. Barty's eyes were darting nervously between herself and Rabastan, while the looks shooting her way from Regulus and Severus hinted that she should expect a lecture on how to handle herself around potential Death Eaters once again.

Rabastan disappeared into the shelves and the members of their study group stared at each other silently for a few moments before resuming their work. Not ten minutes later, he returned holding the books she had cited. "I suppose I should thank you, McGonagall," he muttered gruffly.

Not expecting his gratitude, a genuine smile crossed her face as she took in his miffed expression. "You're welcome, Rabastan."

"Hmph. I don't remember inviting you to call me by my first name," he grumbled, sounding more exasperated than truly angry.

There was a beat of tense silence. "Call me Ava, and we'll be even. Sound good, Rabastan?"

The corners of his mouth twitched and then he nodded before opening the first tome in the stack he had brought back.

She smiled to herself, ignoring the stares burning into her from the other occupants of the table. A while later, the newcomer must've decided he'd gotten enough information jotted down and packed up his things. "Bye, Rabastan," she said with a little wave as he departed.

The Slytherin seemed torn between laughter and wanting to throttle her. "Goodbye, Ava," he said in a dry tone.

As he vanished from sight, she continued to proofread her essay. Well, she made it look as though that's what she was busy doing, but she was truly avoiding the stern talking to Severus and Regulus were about to give her. Which is why she was so startled when it was Barty who spoke.

"Ava, you should really be careful how you talk to the older Slytherins."

She glanced at him with widened eyes, noting that his features were dark with worry. She wasn't sure what to say, but it appeared that neither did the other boys since they stayed silent as well.

Barty sighed. "I'm not stupid, you know." He looked at Regulus, then Severus. "I've heard about the political influencer or benefactor, or whatever you'd like to call him, that the older boys whisper about joining once they graduate."

Ava sucked in a breath and grasped his hand. Barty tensed as his head swiveled her direction, though he didn't pull away. "Please tell me no one has spoken to you about this."

He frowned. "They haven't. Why?" He glanced at Severus and Regulus before turning back to her. "What's wrong?"

"Promise me you'll stay away from them."

He stared at her in confusion.

"If they approach you, don't do anything rash, and tell Regulus, Severus, or myself immediately," she pleaded, dreading what the confirmed Death Eaters might do to him.

He opened his mouth and hesitated, looking to the older boys.

She squeezed his hand. "Please, Barty. I don't want to tell you anything more because it's not exactly safe, but there's more going on behind closed doors than even those other guys know." Ava hadn't realized until this moment how much she had come to care about the young Slytherin. He had proven to be a sweet and curious boy who had no business being around Death Eaters. With how often he looked to Severus and Regulus for guidance, she could see how Barty might be swayed with perfectly placed praise from manipulative wizards. She also knew that he hid deep-seated fear and anger towards his father that could be easily twisted. Ava looked into his eyes and said, "I just want to keep you safe, and I'd rather not have to worry about you every time you're out of my sight."

Surprise blossomed over his face before he ducked his head. "You don't have to look out for me," he whispered.

The resigned dejection lacing his tone had her glaring at Severus and Regulus. _Boys. Haven't they told him they'd watch his back?_ She turned back to Barty and gently tugged on his hand, and he peeked up at her. "I want to though. Truly," she told him with a smile. Ava could see pink tinting his cheeks, so she threw him a bone. "Besides, without you as my friend, who else would I have to impress with my knowledge of Charms and Transfiguration?" she asked while flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Without looking, she knew that Severus was the one who scoffed at her declaration and Regulus was chuckling.

She pulled away from Barty and sat back in her seat, pleased with the grin that was stretching across his face.

After a few moments, his expression sobered. "I promise to do as you say, Ava."

Relief flooded her body. "Thank you."

It was only a short while later that their time in the library was up and all four of them headed downstairs for dinner in the Great Hall. The small victory of Barty's promise filled Ava with happiness and following alongside the Slytherins, her mind drifted to other positive thoughts. Her trip to Hogsmeade last weekend had been successful, for both Christmas shopping and for helping her forget about the worries looming over her and the Wizarding World as she traipsed about the village with her friends.

Despite her protests of not wanting to mooch off of Aunt Minerva, the older witch insisted that Ava purchase whatever presents she wanted to, without a worry for the cost. It was apparent that the professor was a fellow fan of the holiday and was in true Christmas spirit as soon as the first day of December rolled around. Her aunt had also explained that she'd had savings accruing for nearly her entire adult life and couldn't think of a better way to spend it other than on Ava.

The young witch had managed to buy gifts for nearly everyone in one trip, with a little help from Remus. She knew that the Marauders were infamous for their pranks, but she hadn't really seen any in action since her arrival. Her werewolf explained that they've been rather distracted this year so far, what with everything going on. So, for Sirius and James's presents, she placed orders for two books about practical jokes, one Wizard and one Muggle, in hopes of getting their creative juices flowing for next semester. She also begged Remus to help her plan a prank to pull on the boys. _Which, in hindsight, didn't take much convincing_, she realized.

For Lily, Ava thought that a girls' day in Muggle London would be fun. She'd leave it up to the redhead to invite others if she wanted to, but she still needed to figure out which day would work best during the break. Not wanting to leave anyone out, she picked up various candies and chocolates suggested by Remus for the rest of her Gryffindor friends. She didn't really think of Peter as a friend, per se, because they never spent any time together outside of meals in the Great Hall, but she didn't want to exclude him purposefully. _I really need to stop avoiding him._

Ava had been living with Professor McGonagall for only a couple weeks or so when she discovered the stash of romance novels on a bookshelf in the older witch's bedroom. Whether they could be considered "trashy" or not, Ava didn't need or want to find out, but for Christmas she ordered the two newest novels by the authors that seemed to be her aunt's favorites. Similar to her idea for Lily, Ava wanted to go on a typical date with Remus in Muggle London. Something simple, like dinner and a movie. She was hoping to spring it on him before Christmas, early in the break so that they could plan other outings as well. But just so he'd have something to open on Christmas Day, she bought some of his favorite chocolate from Honeyduke's under the guise of it being for the others.

For Severus, she had been secretly planning with Regulus to find a rare Potions text that they were going to give him as a joint gift. She'd also found a Muggle book about plants and their medicinal properties that she thought he'd at least find amusing, if not insightful. Ava thought her gift for Regulus was risky—she ordered him a Muggle book about constellations. She was thinking that he'd enjoy it because it included a brief scientific introduction to stars, but also had stories behind the names of the constellations from a few different cultures. Through becoming his friend, she learned that Regulus wasn't prejudiced against Muggles so much as he was wary of them. She mentally shrugged. _Probably just cause he hadn't had any real interactions with them._ A top secret Christmas gift idea of hers was to get Sirius and Regulus in a room together to finally make amends, but she wasn't sure how she could pull it off.

She shook those thoughts from her head as she trailed into the Great hall behind her Slytherin friends and gave them a wave of goodbye before sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

After dinner, Severus drilled Avalynn on the differences between the Antidote for Common Poisons and the Antidote for Uncommon Poisons as they prepped the worktable for brewing. As she rambled off information, he debated when would be the best time to broach what he thought would be a sensitive topic. During their earlier meal, Lucius had hinted that he was going to extend an invitation to Ava for the New Year's Eve Ball at Malfoy Manor. While he loathed the idea of his best friend being anywhere near people who would gladly see her dead if they knew the truth about her, he also knew that the invitation wasn't truly optional. He mentally scoffed at the idiocy of contemplating such an action. Refusal of the invite would only create more enemies and heighten people's curiosity of the interesting and intelligent Half-blood.

He sighed audibly, his dark eyes following Ava as she gathered ingredients for the potions. _There isn't a subtle way of telling her._

She placed down the last of the supplies needed to brew the Antidotes and grabbed a knife. As she held some herbs in place and began to cut them, her hand trembled. With a snarl, the knife clattered to the table and she looked up at him with murder in her gaze. "When will these tremors stop?!" It was a rare occurrence, but every now and then, her nerves would flare up and prevent Ava from keeping a steady hand, as the result of consuming too much extra strength pain potion a couple months ago.

He rolled his eyes at her dramatics. The long-term side effect was gradually fading, she just needed more patience. "It's just as well. I have something to tell you."

She quirked a brow. "Oh?"

"In the coming days, you'll more than likely receive an invitation to Malfoy Manor for the New Year's Eve Ball during break." Ignoring her shocked expression, he continued, "I don't think I have to tell you that it wouldn't be a good idea to decline the offer. It'll only raise questions and draw a target on your back."

Her brows furrowed. "Why would me, a _Half-blood_, and a McGonagall, be invited to something like that?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lucius, or potentially someone else, must think that you could be useful on their side of politics, even if you are a Half-blood."

Ava chewed on her lip, lost in thought for a few moments before her face brightened. "Alright, this could work." She nodded. "It's actually a great idea. It'll be easier for us to find the diary Horcrux at the Manor if there's three of us looking rather than just you and Regulus. Now I can help," she told him with a smile. She paced in front of the worktable and muttered something under her breath about Kreacher and Dobby, whoever or whatever that was. Panic settled onto her features as her chest began rising and falling rapidly.

"Ava?" he asked, worry lacing his tone.

She looked to him with wide eyes, taking gulping breaths. "I don't know if I can do this, Severus," she managed to choke out.

As she reached out to steady herself on the table, he rushed forward and wrapped an arm around her, guiding her gently down to the stool. "You're okay, Ava. Take three slow, deep breaths for me." He gently rubbed her back as she followed his orders. "Once more—slow, deep breaths." _Merlin, I hate how useless this makes me feel,_ he thought. "You're safe. And you will be at the Manor." _She will be safe. I'll make sure of it._

She let out a shuddering breath. "What if Voldemort's there?" she asked in a small voice.

His heart stuttered, but he shook his head. "I really don't think he'll be there while you are. He'll make an appearance once the party for the public has ended, and I'll have escorted you out of there by then." He felt her tense beneath his hands.

"But you and Regulus will be there? At the revel?"

He frowned. "A 'revel'? There are plans for the Dark Lord's followers to meet with him after the ball—is that what you mean?"

She pulled away from him and tilted her head. "Oh, that's kinda reassuring." She paused. "I guess the Death Eaters aren't that far gone yet."

A chill crept into his bones. "What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly.

Her eyebrows raised. "Oh, you know, the usual," she said in a false, light tone. "Life-threatening punishments or duels between followers, torture of Muggles and people who may stand in his way—," her face seemed to crumple in pain, "—rape," she whispered.

A breath caught in his throat as his stomach soured.

"I—I don't know that for sure, but—," she trailed off, looking at him with wide eyes.

"But it's not a stretch of the imagination," he finished for her.

The silence hung heavy in the room for several long moments before Ava shook herself and pulled away from him, beginning to prepare the ingredients for her potions. He shuffled in next to her at the work table and picked up the pestle and mortar to crush the Bezoar, even though it was a task he'd usually leave for her to complete. As he worked, Severus forced the dark thoughts of who he could've become under the Dark Lord's tutelage to the far recesses of his mind, thanking every deity in the universe once more for bringing Avalynn into his life.

* * *

Having left Severus in the dungeons, Ava paced in front of the Room of Requirement, asking for a secure place where she could discuss an important matter with Remus, James, and Sirius. Once she was able to collect her thoughts and let the potions brew, she penned a note to the boys, requesting that they meet with her there. Flopsy had acted as her courier again, and that was just another topic to add to her list of pressing issues at the moment. With the Marauders' cleverness, there must be an easier way for them to communicate.

The door to the Room having appeared, she leaned against the cool stone wall and waited for the boys to join her. She had waited for Severus's mood to lighten while they continued brewing before she sprung on him the fact that she had made a deal with Lucius Malfoy. She described their encounter and explained how the wizard was currently under the impression that she was a Seer. Despite her best friend's initial outrage and name-calling, of both her and Malfoy, he simmered down and admitted that it wasn't a terrible cover under the circumstances. He also appeared contrite once Ava was able to further explain that she had demanded a Wizard's Oath from the arrogant blond Slytherin. Thankfully, Severus was already aware of Malfoy's involvement with Voldemort so she wasn't breaking her side of the Oath.

Even if Voldemort wasn't scheduled to attend the Malfoy's Ball, Ava could feel her stomach fluttering nervously at the idea of making small talk with strangers. Especially Pureblood strangers that would probably look down at her from their uppity noses. _Ugh, I'm going to have to be polite_, she groaned internally. If she wanted to sneak around the mansion unnoticed, she'd need to blend in with the high society and not draw any unwanted attention her way. _Maybe I should get some help, like an etiquette coach or something_, she mused. _At least I'll have Severus and Regulus with me._

Ava was staring absentmindedly across the corridor, lost in her thoughts when she heard the whoosh of fabric and three figures appeared out of nowhere just a few feet away from her. "Fucking hell!" she yelped, startling and instinctively raising her fists as adrenaline shot throughout her body.

James and Sirius leaned on each other in an attempt to stay upright as they laughed uproariously, with tears in their eyes. "Shoulda seen your face," James breathed out.

She pointed a finger at them with a glare. "Fuck you!" She crossed her arms and turned to the third person, who was blushing and rubbing the back of his neck. "And what do _you_ have to say for yourself, Remus Lupin?" She saw the flicker of a smile dance across his lips and narrowed her eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Sorry," he muttered, giving her a sheepish look.

She sniffed and lifted her chin. "And?" she asked, ignoring the continuous laughter from Sirius and James.

Remus strided over and gathered her in his arms, nuzzling her cheek and neck. "And I won't do it again." Ava was doused in affection through their bond as he nipped her bite mark playfully. "And I'll make it up to you in any way that I can, mate."

Her body relaxed into his. "Damn straight you will," she said, pulling his head away from her shoulder. She reached up to kiss him and let out a noise of contentment when Remus gently pried her lips apart and caressed her tongue with his.

"Oi! We're right here," she heard James groan.

"I dunno, Prongs. I think I might like to watch."

She jerked back from Remus with a surprised chuckle. "Down, Padfoot," she chided, glancing at Sirius's teasing expression.

James and Remus both pulled faces, not pleased with the direction their friend's joke turned. "Ow," the canine Animagus complained as James smacked him on the back of his head.

Remus's fingers tightened around her hips. "Mine," he growled.

"Yours," Ava said, pecking a quick kiss against his mouth before stepping out of his arms. She gestured towards the door behind her. "Let's go. We need to talk."

Still grumbling under his breath, something about gross jokes and friends being like sisters, James shoved past Sirius to follow her and Remus as he stuffed the Invisibility Cloak into his schoolbag.

The magic of the Room was sensitive enough to know that Ava hadn't intended for them to practice dueling like they had the last couple of times when visiting, so it had only created a cozy space for them to chat undisturbed. Two sofas faced each other in front of a roaring fireplace, and Ava plopped herself down as close as she could to the source of warmth.

She only waited for the boys to close the door behind them before speaking. "Severus told me earlier that he thinks I'll be getting an invitation to Malfoy Manor for their New Year's Eve Ball." She let that information sink in for a moment as they took their seats before continuing, "I'm planning on accepting."

Remus tensed next to her and reached out to intertwine their fingers.

"No fucking way," Sirius snapped, sending a hard glare in her direction.

She figured he'd be the biggest protester, and rightfully so, having more experience with the shady people on the guest list.

"I don't like the idea of you being there without me," Remus said.

She looked to him and noticed his eyes flashed amber for a moment.

"Neither does Moony," he added.

She placed her free hand on his arm. "Severus and Regulus will both be there, looking out for me." Sirius scoffed and she whipped her head to glare at him with fiery eyes. "They have my absolute trust and would protect me with their lives, Sirius."

He stared at her for a couple seconds, a storm brewing behind his eyes. "Fine. I suppose Snape has kept you out of trouble so far," he muttered, crossing his arms.

A relieved breath stalled in her throat. _That was too easy_. Ava observed her friend, waiting for another outburst of emotion. He merely sat there, fuming. _Whatever, I'll worry about him later._ She shook off the thought and looked to James, who had been curiously quiet the entire conversation so far.

His brow was furrowed. "Why?"

"'Why' what?" Remus voiced from beside her.

"Surely, you guys know by now that Ava doesn't do anything without a reason," James said. "If she thinks that it's necessary for her to go to the party, knowing that there will be dangerous people there, then she probably needs to go. Also, my parents used to go to the Malfoys' Ball every year and nothing ever happened. There will be Ministry officials invited too, so it's not like the assholes are going to do anything that would jeopardize their public standing."

Remus sighed. "He has a point." He gently squeezed Ava's hand. "You're sure that you need to go?"

She nodded. "I can't tell you why though. Not yet at least." Thankfully, they seemed to accept that.

"And Snape and Regulus will watch your back?" her werewolf asked.

"Of course. Severus told me that he'd take me home before the real Death Eater meeting begins."

He nodded. "Alright. That'll make it easier for Moony and me to handle, you coming back to us right after the party."

Ava frowned and tilted her head. "What do you mean 'back to you'?"

Remus mirrored her expression. "Back to the Potters'. Aren't you staying with us over break?" He turned to James. "You said that you invited her."

The Potter heir ran a hand through his hair. "I might've forgotten," he mumbled sheepishly. "But of course she's going to." He glanced at her, confidence dimming. "Right?"

Ava smiled. "I'm allowed to come visit you guys?"

James returned her grin. "Definitely. Mum and Dad owled me last week to let you know you're more than welcome to stay at our house for as long as you want."

Her excitement grew in anticipation of spending time with Remus and her friends outside of school. "That'd be awesome. Will Lily be staying too?"

Mild intoxication seemed to fall over James's face. "Yeah, she'll be there for a few days after Christmas."

Ava huffed out a laugh and snapped her fingers. "Okay, lover boy, focus. As fun as it would be to hang out with you guys all break, I'm gonna stay here with Aunt Minerva until Christmas and then I'll come later on Christmas Day or maybe the day after. Does that sound okay?" Hearing agreements from all around, she said, "And then on New Year's Eve, I'll go to the Malfoys' with Severus and he'll bring me back, as soon as possible. Good?" Not waiting for an actual response, she continued. "I might stay another day or two after that, but then I'll come back to the castle for the rest of the break. I don't want to leave Aunt Minerva all alone that whole time, and I'll probably have some stuff I need to take care of before school starts up again."

All three wizards shot her curious looks and opened their mouths to more than likely ask questions that she didn't want to answer, so she abruptly changed the subject. "Remus and I talked about it already, and I'm going to be in the Shack with you guys next week during the full moon. The whole time."

James looked at the werewolf with wide eyes. "You sure about that, mate?"

Sirius's gaze flicked between Ava and Remus and settled back on her. "Do you think it'll help? Being with him during the transformation?"

She recalled how gentle he was with her last time, helping her down to the Shack, and the guilt that weighed on his conscious because of the pain she endured. She gave him a faint smile. "I hope so."

"What do we tell Peter?" James asked.

She tensed and eyed Remus as she built up her mental wall, hoping he couldn't feel the emotions that the rat Animagus brought to the surface. "What do you mean? I thought he knew that Remus and I are mates."

Her werewolf nodded. "He does, but I'm not sure he understands all that it entails. I'm sure he'll be curious as to why you're risking being in the Shack as a human during my transformation."

Ava scrunched up her face. "Do you need to explain every little detail of our bond to him?" She couldn't help but be wary of oversharing information with Peter.

Remus's green eyes widened minutely as his brows raised. "No, never. I would never put our relationship on display for anyone." He glanced to his friends sitting across from them. "Not unless it was something that you wanted me to share."

She could tell what he want hinting at. She trusted James and Sirius enough, but why not Peter? Before she was able to think of a decent explanation and placate the boys, Sirius piped up.

"Why _don't_ you want Peter to know?" he asked with a frown. "Matter of fact, why don't you ask him to come with us whenever we meet up for dueling practice or just catching up, like right now?"

Ava reinforced her mental shield with everything she had, effectively closing the bond between herself and Remus. Judging by his surprised intake of breath, she had succeeded. _A little too much_, she realized. Slowly, she let a smidgen of trepidation leak through their connection. "I guess I just don't really know him that well. We don't spend much time together, but I have with you guys and I trust you three completely." She shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

James chuckled. "Then we'll just have to fix that, won't we?"

She tried to smile. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Well, Christmas break should be good for some bonding time," Sirius said, seeming to watch Ava carefully. His smile seemed as forced as hers was.

"Yeah, and you could spend some time studying with us," Remus added. She must've looked shocked because he laughed. "Since we've got exams right before break, even these guys will be studying."

She huffed out a laugh. "Alright, I _suppose_ it wouldn't be a hardship to hang out with all four of the famous Marauders more often."

"As per your request m'lady," James announced, jumping up from his seat and taking a low bow, "the world renown Marauders would be honored to keep your company in the coming weeks."

Ava shook her head with mirth and stood from the couch. Glancing to Sirius, then Remus, she said, "I know you guys aren't exactly onboard with the idea of the New Year's Eve Ball, but thank you for understanding. We should all head back to our rooms though. I've got a couple more assignments I need to do." She gave them pointed looks. "And I'm sure you do too."

Remus shook his head with a smile as Sirius and James groaned, despite following Ava to the door. They all shuffled out of the Room, not worrying about using James's cloak since it was a while before curfew, and discussed their upcoming exams until James and Sirius broke off to continue onto the Gryffindor Common Room while Remus walked with Ava to her quarters. She inquired about his plans for Christmas break and found out that he would be staying with his family until Christmas evening, then he was going to head over to the Potters'. Thinking about celebrating the holiday brought forth memories of past Christmases, back in her own world.

"Why are you sad, Ava?" he asked, pulling their intertwined fingers up and kissing the back of her hand.

She gave him a soft smile. "Christmas is my favorite holiday, and while I'm glad that I'll get to spend it with some of those I care about, I'm still upset that I won't be seeing my family or friends. From my world, I mean. I think it's safe to say that you and the boys, and the others, have become either part of my family or my friends, but I still miss them."

Remus pressed his lips together as they descended yet another staircase. "I desperately wish that I could take your pain and sorrow away." He let out a low growl and tugged his hand from hers. "This is all my fault."

"Don't even start with that bullshit, Remus," she told him in a voice hard as stone. "You are not to blame for anything that's happened. No one really is."

"But James and—"

"But nothing," she said, her hand cutting through the air. "They had no idea that the spell could pull someone from _another world_." She laughed. "They didn't even know other worlds existed. How could I be mad at them for just trying to make you happy?" She paused in the corridor and turned to him, cupping his cheek. "I might miss my family and friends terribly, but I also wouldn't want to give up what I have with you." Pure love and adoration flooded their bond, causing a smile to break out on Ava's face. "I love you, Remus Lupin, my mate."

He leaned into her hand, eyes flashing amber briefly. "I love you too, mate."

She popped up on her tiptoes to kiss him, wanting to show her werewolf how much she felt for him when a throat cleared. Ava turned to tell off whoever interrupted them when she spotted Professor Flitwick watching them with an amused expression. She jumped back from Remus as if burned. "Oh! Sorry, Professor."

"I was just escorting Miss McGonagall to her rooms, Professor Flitwick," Remus said in an unaffected tone, surprising Ava since she could feel his embarrassment trickling across their connection.

The short wizard chuckled and waved his hand. "Then I suggest you do so before curfew, Mr. Lupin. Go on you two."

She and Remus strode past their teacher and had to keep themselves from laughing when Flitwick gave a happy sigh and muttered, "Ah, young love."

Once around the corner and out of earshot, they released their giggles from the awkward encounter. Continuing towards her quarters, the conversation drifted back to Christmas.

"Why is it your favorite holiday?" her thoughtful werewolf asked.

She smiled and took a deep breath, ready to launch into the best parts of the holiday with a little more spring in her step.

Remus chuckled and squeezed her hand. "I love how you feel and show your enthusiasm with your whole body."

Ava could feel her cheeks flushing, knowing that her complete devotion to certain things could be a bit much sometimes. _Like Christmas… or learning magic…or Harry Potter…or Supernatural or Percy Jackson._ She sighed internally. _Such is the life of a fangirl._ "It's healthy to have interests I'll have you know."

"It's adorable," he rushed to say, seeming to worry that he had offended her. She was about to let him know that she was just teasing when he continued. "Your eyes light up like your very soul has been invigorated, and you can't keep all of your excitement to yourself. You love it so much that you just can't help but want to share it with others, and I think that's amazing. I hope that you'll always share your favorite things with me."

Her heart swelled. "Always."

"Good," he said with a smile. "Now, what is it about Christmas that you love so much?"

"More like, what's not to love? The whole atmosphere of the holiday is great. The cold weather, music, and lights. Not to mention, the cookies and hot chocolate. When there's snow, it's even better."

"I'll warn you now that we take snowball fights rather seriously here at Hogwarts."

She beamed. "Awesome." Thoughts of how magic could make the fights even more fun whirled through her mind before she shook her head and carried on. "I know it might sound bad, but I also love the presents part of Christmas. First off, because I love seeing how everyone reacts to the gifts I pick out for them. I always try to choose ones that aren't on their list so it'll surprise them, but close enough so that they'll still be happy with it. But second of all, I like getting presents too." She scoffed. "Who doesn't?"

He chuckled. "I suppose that's true."

"There's just something about getting all cozy inside with your family and friends, and crowding around the tree, that I love. Oh, and all of the decorations. The trees and garland and lights everywhere. It's always so pretty while you're walking around shopping and then you go home, and it's the same, just more personal." Her face dropped. "My mom and I always put our tree up together while listening to our favorite Christmas music." She could feel her sadness reflected through their bond as they stopped in front of her quarters.

"I'm so sorry, Ava," Remus murmured, wrapping her in his warm arms.

She leaned her cheek against his chest and squeezed him back. "I know, but you don't have to be." She fought back tears, not wanting to upset him even further. She discreetly used the sleeve of her robe to wipe away the wetness gathering at her eyes and pulled back from Remus. "I love you," she told him before slanting her lips across his.

He held her close as they shared a slow kiss, his touch and magic minutely soothing her distressed mind. "I love you too," he said, voice thick with emotion.

Worried that she'd burst into sobs at any moment, Ava placed a chaste kiss to his lips and stepped out of his embrace, turning towards the door to her rooms. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said over her shoulder in what she hoped was a cheery tone.

Judging by the pained smile on his face, she hadn't succeeded. "See you tomorrow."

She rushed out the password and stepped into her quarters, bracing herself against the closed door with her eyes squeezed shut so tightly, she saw streaks of color. Ava carefully reinforced her mental shield before allowing her grief to burst forth, causing her to slide to the floor with a sob. She didn't want to burden Remus, making him feel even worse about the whole situation.

Letting the strap from her schoolbag slide off her shoulder, she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her arms and head atop them, curling into herself. _I miss them. I miss them SO damn much._ Eyes stinging and nose running, she cried, once again mourning the life and family that she lost. It had only been a couple of months, but Ava thought she was doing better. Sure, she had pangs of sadness and longing crop up every now and then, but she always managed to brush them aside using her friends or homework as a distraction. _And that's the problem_, she realized. _I'm just pushing off the grief until I can't hold it back anymore._

Ava let go of her shame and stubbornness, allowing herself to cry earnestly. There was no reason for her to keep all of her feelings bottled up and contained so tightly. _I'm allowed to miss them. And I'm allowed to be happy here. I can feel both._ She didn't know if she truly believed that, or if she was merely tricking herself so she wouldn't feel guilty. It was a relief to let her misery drain out of her body completely, leaving her with no more tears to shed after who knows how long. She sniffled and wiped her nose, lifting her shoulders and arching her back, which had started to ache from her position.

Her eyes bounced around the room, realizing that she hadn't even noticed whether or not Aunt Minerva was there. Movement caught her eye and she looked towards the fireplace. She could've sworn that something or someone had shifted in the portrait, but finding it empty, she shook her head. _Must've just been the flicker of the flames from the fire._ Ava took a deep, quivering breath and stood.

"You're good," she told herself, picking up her bag from the floor. "You just need to keep going. Just gotta keep learning and practicing, and Voldemort will fall. Keep moving forward and everything will be fine." Without further delay, Ava sat in the chair closest to the fire and took out her ink and quill, along with her History of Magic essay, and she got to work.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: It's still so incredible to me that there are people out there reading this story! People that enjoy my writing enough to keep coming back for more! And by people, I mean you, dear readers. Yes, you! You guys are AWESOME!
> 
> This chapter grew and grew, so I've cut it into two parts so that I could give you something to read now. The full moon will be in the next chapter, picking up right after this one. Warning: sexy times ahead ;)
> 
> Thank you SO much for all of the kudos and comments! :)
> 
> Review shout-out: Kimberly, thank you! :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 39**

Avalynn stifled a yawn as she sat across from Dumbledore. _It's inhumane to be up this early on a Saturday_, she thought. The Headmaster had just offered her a lemon drop, which she politely declined as it made her oversensitive nose twitch in annoyance. The full moon was that night and she was rather miffed to find that having Remus claim her did absolutely nothing to suppress the wolfish tendencies that appeared close to her version of the transformation.

"Here is the list detailing the current members of the Order of the Phoenix, as you requested," Dumbledore said as he slid a piece of parchment towards Ava. "Despite your previous offer of destroying the information once you had a chance to peruse it, I thought it would better serve you if it were to be concealed in the charmed box that is in your possession."

She nodded in agreement. Since the paranoid wizard had wanted to keep the destroyed diadem, the box was currently sitting empty in her bedroom anyhow. "I'll spend some time going over these names and see what I can remember. I'm not sure how soon anything happens, but I know for a fact that over the next couple of years, as some of these people are labeled as blood traitors, they become targeted by the Death Eaters."

He steepled his fingers. "Yes, we must remain vigilant."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Constant vigilance, I'd imagine."

Dumbledore let out a surprised chuckle. His blue eyes twinkled as he said, "I doubt the intrigue surrounding your arrival here will ever dim, Miss McGonagall. It's quite the incredible set of circumstances."

Ava shifted in her seat. "Yes, well, I'm just glad that I'll be able to help out." She kept her fingers crossed, hoping that the Headmaster wouldn't pry any further into the magic behind her appearance into their world considering that she withheld the fact that she was Remus's soulmate from the old wizard.

He nodded. "I thank you for your contribution to the Order, and when all this settles, I'm certain that you will have many thanks from others." He sat back in his ornate, chestnut chair and reached out to stroke Fawkes's vibrant feathers. "Now, what do you know of the remaining Horcruxes?"

She swallowed. "Voldemort has a thing for the founders of Hogwarts so another one of his Horcruxes is the Cup of Hufflepuff, which I'm pretty sure is being held in the Lestranges's vault at Gringotts."

Dumbledore's hand stilled over his familiar.

"But, I've got a few ideas on how we can get it out. And then there's his diary, which is actually his first Horcrux, and—"

"Tom made that while still at Hogwarts, didn't he?" Dumbledore asked with a sad frown.

"Yes, sir." _And you_ should _feel guilty_. "The diary is probably at Malfoy Manor, and I've actually got a way to get that Horcrux too. Well, hopefully. It should work." She paused. "Yeah, it'll work." Ava glanced up to see him quirking a brow. "What?" she asked defensively. Without waiting for a response, she continued while leaning back in her seat, arms crossed. "We'll get it, for sure. Especially since I've got an invitation, and so do…my, uh…colleagues. So, yeah, we'll find the diary and then we'll focus on the cup." She threw Dumbledore a look that she hoped conveyed her determination but didn't reveal her concern for their foolhardy plans. _It's not like there's a better way to go about tracking down Horcruxes anyhow._

Once again placing his wrinkled fingers under his chin, he said, "Miss McGonagall, while I commend your enthusiasm, you must realize that I don't expect you to acquire Tom's Horcruxes within an unreasonable time frame. Nor would I deny you any assistance if requested." He pressed his lips together in a firm line. "It doesn't sit well with me to burden mere children with this sort of responsibility."

_Doesn't it?_ she thought sarcastically before reminding herself that it wasn't exactly fair of her to continue judging Dumbledore as if he were the same wizard that left an infant Harry Potter with the Dursleys while Sirius suffered in Azkaban. The same wizard that preyed on an orphan and groomed him for a battle that he likely wouldn't live through. Ava shook her head. _Just don't forget—it wouldn't take a lot for him to turn into that much of an asshole._

"I assume by your aforementioned 'colleagues', you speak of classmates with connections to the dark side of this war? And you have the utmost trust in them?"

She nodded vehemently despite the fact that Dumbledore knew her Oath prevented her from speaking to anyone about things she learned at future Order meetings. "Of course. And despite our age, I think you'll be surprised by what we can accomplish."

"Of that, I have no doubt, my dear. I look forward to your reports as an active member of the Order," he told her with a small smile.

Her skin prickled while the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something about the way Dumbledore said that rubbed Ava the wrong way.

"What of Tom's fourth Horcrux? The last one, correct?" he asked, dragging her attention away from his previous comment.

She nodded. "Yes, it's the Gaunt family ring and he's keeping it at the Gaunt shack. I don't have any specifics of the enchantments or curses that he's spelled the house with, but I know that you're able to bypass them." She wrung her fingers. "But there's one thing I need to warn you about."

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Yes?"

Ava gulped as she discreetly palmed her wand. "You might feel…inclined to wear the ring, but you shouldn't. You _absolutely_ shouldn't," she told him firmly. "The ring is imbued with a deadly curse, and it _will_ kill you if you put it on."

He nodded. "Thank y—"

"I mean it, Professor Dumbledore. Nothing is worth the risk of you putting that ring on. You'll die and then who would fight Voldemort?" She wanted to make sure that it really hit home.

His eyes narrowed. "Why are you so sure that I would wear a cursed piece of jewelry, Miss McGonagall?"

She steeled herself. "Because of the Hallows."

Dumbledore's lips parted as his eyes widened in shock.

"The Hallows are not worth your life when your death would likely be subjecting the Wizarding World to Voldemort's reign of terror."

Regardless of Ava's trepidation at revealing her knowledge of the Hallows and the old wizard's pursuit of them, she wanted to be upfront in hopes that he would heed her warning. However, her anxiety morphed into terror when his hard, blue eyes locked onto her gaze for a second too long.

No amount of practice with Severus would have prepared her for Dumbledore's onslaught. She rapidly reinforced her mental wall, thankfully having erected it before stepping foot into the Headmaster's Office, and focused most of her energy on keeping the shield from crumbling. The usual mountainous terrain of her mind burst into existence, but Ava could tell from the flicker of the trees and boulders that the landscape wasn't sturdy enough to withstand a direct attack.

Her heart raced as blood pounded in her ears. She flew across the expanse of her shield, attempting to locate Dumbledore, but his presence was a whisper, making him a menace to follow. Ava could hear her frustrated growl resound throughout her mind. He was like water that kept dribbling through the cracks between her fingers no matter how tightly she pressed her hands together. He weaved up and down her mental wall, looking for a weak spot, and upon finding none, he seemingly retreated. Not convinced, Ava maintained the barrier around her mind, and it was a good thing she did.

Sharp pain erupted in her skull when Dumbledore launched against her shield, hoping to blast his way through as if he were a battering ram. _Shit! That hurts! SHIT!_ she cursed, trying her best to ignore the mounting pressure in her head and concentrate on keeping her mind from being invaded.

_I can't do this forever. I should've brought Aunt Minerva. So stupid! Absolute idiot!_ That last thought sounded a bit like Severus. _Fuck. What would he do? Probably not gotten himself into this situation in the first place. I need to break the connection._

Ava could hear herself cry out in pain as Dumbledore continued to pound against her mental wall. _And how exactly do you propose to do that, Avalynn?_ Once more, her internal rant echoed her best friend. Thinking of Severus caused a light bulb to go off.

"_Protego_!" she screamed, unable to tell if she uttered the words aloud. But it was enough. The magic propelled the intruding presence out and her mind rushed forward, only to slam into what felt like a brick wall, and the screeching of a chair reverberated throughout the room.

Her vision cleared to show Dumbledore panting, slumped in his seat, which appeared to have been forced back against the stone floor by a few feet.

A wave of dizziness crashed over Ava, and she was grateful to have remained in her seated position. She pressed a hand to her head, as if that could cease the throbbing of her skull cracking open, and glared at the wizard with all of her might. "Fuck you," she hissed, wiping sweat from her forehead.

His gray eyebrows twitched, but he seemed too busy trying to catch his breath to reprimand her language.

Her magic buzzed, urging her to take action. _What do you want?_ she mentally groaned, once again dabbing at the sweat that beaded along her hairline. Her magic warmed in her chest and sparked into her limbs, almost angry. As if it were demanding retribution. _What?! I'm not going to just _attack _him_, she scolded. She could've sworn that a growl sounded in her head. _Isn't it bad enough my senses are in overdrive? Now my magic has a mind of its own again?_

Taking advantage of the old wizard's state, Ava wobbled to her feet and thrust a menacing finger at him. "This isn't over, asshole," she snapped, dragging her feet towards the door. When Dumbledore rasped out her name, she ignored him and stomped down the spiral staircase, gripping the wall with her fingertips in hopes of keeping herself upright.

As the dizziness and nausea subsided, she absentmindedly wiped her nose, a cool, prickling feeling causing her to think it was running for some reason. Pulling her hand away, she saw it was smeared crimson. _Motherfucker made my nose bleed._ Ava was too wrapped up in her daydream of strangling Dumbledore with her bare hands to watch where she was walking and managed to barrel right into someone at the foot of the stairs.

Despite the mental intrusion she had just escaped from, she could feel herself relaxing in the arms of the person who grasped her flailing body. She inhaled. _Sirius_. For a brief moment, she felt safe and relieved. _Wait—Sirius!_

"Slow down there, pretty lady," he said in a teasing lilt. "Moony wouldn't appreciate his mate hurting herself. Even if she's tripping over her own feet in a rush to be by his side. You heading to breakfast too? I just dropped off a late assignment to your dear Aunt Minnie."

Ava kept her head down. "Yeah. Thanks, Sirius," she mumbled. Her hopes of avoiding a confrontation were dashed when she heard him sniff.

His grip tightened around her shoulders. "Ava, why do I smell blood?" he asked in a low voice.

She grimaced, recognizing his tone. _There's no way I'm getting out of this one._

The Animagus reached out and cupped her chin, gently pulling it up to meet her gaze. His gray eyes flashed in anger. "Who did this? What happened?" He peered up and down the corridor before looking back to her. His eyes darted over her shoulder, the direction she came from with the gargoyle statue guarding Dumbledore's office. "No," he breathed. "No way."

Sighing, Ava used her sleeve to blot at the blood she could feel still trickling from her nose. Irritated, she muttered under her breath, "Clearly, I underestimated Dumbledore when I didn't require his Oath to include not invading my mind. He's lucky I only called him an asshole."

Sirius looked at her with horrified, wide eyes for a long moment then tossed his head back, letting out a deep laugh. "Only you, Ava." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, steering her away from the Headmaster's office. "Only you would walk away from one of the most powerful wizards prying into your head and pout about not being strict enough when you brokered a magical Oath from the same wizard. Not to mention, the verbal lashing you gave him that surely followed." He gave her an affectionate squeeze while adding, "You've got quite the pair of bollocks on you, witch."

She cleared her throat. "Yes, well, someone has to put the old coot in his place."

Sirius chuckled.

Her head throbbed incessantly. "Laugh it up Black," she said in a more biting tone than usual.

He peered down at her with a raised brow.

Ava ducked her head sheepishly. "Sorry. My head hurts. But my, uh, _furry_ traits seem to be in overdrive, so I'm a little touchy." She paused. "I suppose it could be because Remus officially claimed me as his mate. They haven't gotten any better, that's for sure."

"What do you mean 'officially'?"

Her gaze flicked to the ground as she mumbled, "We had sex."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

She groaned, but then looked up to see his cheeky grin and smacked him on the arm.

His teasing expression morphed into one of concern as Ava felt more blood trickle from her nose.

She huffed in annoyance and used the sleeve of her robe to dab at the reminder that Dumbledore wasn't a wizard to be trifled with. He could've stopped her from leaving his office if he really wanted to. _Maybe he realized that he went too far,_ she considered.

Sirius wanted to take her to the Hospital Wing, but she brushed it off and promised to stop at the girls' bathroom on their way to the Great Hall to clean up at least. Of course, her friend followed her in, claiming that he wasn't willing to risk leaving her alone if she passed out from blood loss. Ava laughed off his excuse when his curious eyes roved around the bathroom upon entering.

As Ava used a damp towel to clear the smeared blood from her face, Sirius peppered her with questions about why she was meeting with Dumbledore and why he would've pushed into her mind. She chose to ignore him at first, not in the mood to discuss secrets in the chilly, musty school restroom when her head felt like a nut someone had tried to smash open. Thankfully, her friend seemed to understand as he quieted for a minute or so, leaving her to rinse out the blood on her sleeve in peace.

Breaking the pleasant silence, Sirius hesitantly asked, "Did it have anything to do with the second Oath you made me take?" He lowered his voice while stepping closer to her. "The one about the prophecy?"

Ava's brows popped up in surprise as she gazed at him in the reflection of the mirror.

"I wanted to ask when you told us about your invitation to Malfoy Manor, but I knew I couldn't bring it up in front of James, and I figured that you wouldn't want Remus to know either."

The uncomfortable expression on his face reminded her of the guilt he likely carried. She turned to face him and grasped his hands in hers. "I understand why you hate lying to them and keeping secrets, but mentioning it in front of them would've been a mistake. I'm not willing to tell them yet, if ever, so thank you for thinking things through before acting on them." She cracked a smile. "Knowing you, that was a major feat."

He let out an exaggerated huff of annoyance.

"Just please remember that _everything_ I do is because of what I told you that night. While I'm going to try my hardest to save as many people as possible and eliminate Voldemort and the Death Eaters, what we spoke of is a catalyst, a turning point, for the war to go sideways, and not in the direction we'd like it to. I'm desperately trying to avoid the worst parts of this war, I promise."

His face paled, likely caught up in the memory of the prophecy and their personal connection to it.

Tears pricked at Ava's eyes and she reached out, pulling him in for a hug. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to them."

He gripped her tightly in return, and she could feel him nodding against her shoulder. They clung to each other in silence, with the exception of the faucet dripping occasionally in the background. Ava closed her eyes and deeply breathed in his familiar scent and exhaled slowly, repeating the action several times. With each breath, she could feel her emotions and magic settling. Her mind drifted to Dumbledore's mental assault, and she didn't feel quite so murderous as she had in the minutes following his attack. _Maybe I just needed to chill for a bit_, she reasoned.

She opened her eyes, feeling much better and remembering their surroundings, she giggled. Pulling away from Sirius, she whispered, "What even _is_ my life?"

Sirius's brows furrowed.

"Don't mind me. Just laughing over the fact that I'm hugging _Sirius Black_ in a _girls' bathroom_ at _Hogwarts_," she told him with a smile and shake of her head. Ava tugged on his hand and headed for the exit as he chuckled.

She shoved open the door and they spilled out into the corridor, but they weren't the only ones there. She spotted Remus standing about ten feet away, with his fists clenched at his sides, nostrils flared, and eyes shining amber.

Ava could feel his anger and jealousy sizzling through their bond. She knew that Moony was likely feeling possessive, especially with the full moon later that evening, but he should know better than to be worried about her with other guys. "Stop being ridiculous," she snapped at him.

Remus's hands clenched and he lashed out. "Is it _ridiculous_ when your mate comes waltzing out of somewhere private with another male, holding hands and looking suspicious as hell?!"

Her mouth hung open in shock at the implication in his words. She was sure that the hurt she felt crossed their connection because his furious expression faltered momentarily.

Sirius tried to slip his hand out of hers "Mate—," he started.

Ava tightened her hold on his hand. "No," she interrupted, voice stern. If Remus wasn't going to take her feelings into consideration, then he didn't get to be so demanding. "Sirius and I are _friends_, Remus. We aren't doing anything wrong."

"Ava," Sirius whispered, trying to free himself from her grip. "Bloody hell, witch, you're strong."

The intense glow of amber in Remus's eyes flared and he stormed over to the pair. He wrapped his fingers around Ava's arm tightly and yanked her away from Sirius, growling, "Mine."

She squeaked in surprise as Sirius started yelling. "Let her go, Moony! Don't grab her like that!"

She let out an indignant scoff. "Could you dial back the alpha male vibe? Of course, I'm yours."

Her werewolf's features and hold softened as he registered her words. But then he inhaled deeply and looked at her with concern flashing across his face. Wrapping both his hands around her arms as he held her in place, he asked, "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

She frowned to herself when her magic thrummed in delight at his fussing. _Stop it. I can take care of myself._ Out of the corner of her eye, Ava spotted Sirius discreetly inching his way closer to them.

Remus glanced away from her and snarled at his friend, baring his teeth in a clear warning. His fingers strengthened their hold on her. "Mine," he said, voice rumbling like thunder.

She had barely moved to peek at Sirius, just to let him know she was fine, only annoyed, when Remus shoved her behind him with another growl. She tried not to whimper in pain, knowing that she'd have bruises later from where Remus held her. "You're hurting me, Moony," she said, assuming that was who she needed to reason with in this moment.

Ava was becoming truly worried since she hadn't seen Remus so angry before. Possessive, sure, but he hadn't ever jerked her around like a rag doll. Her elbow twinged in pain as he jostled her once more. Her patience had been wearing thin already, but her magic caused the reminder to disappear as it swarmed inside her with a growl, protesting against Remus's actions. "Let. Me. Go!" she snapped at him, wriggling herself out of his grasp. She darted around him, back towards Sirius.

Sirius approached her side, angling himself in front of her. "Easy, Moony. You don't want to hurt her."

"You can't just manhandle me like that, Remus!" she yelled, glaring at her mate as she rubbed her elbow.

He snarled as his amber eyes darted between her and Sirius.

Ava could still feel his anger, but now doubt and sadness permeated their connection. After a moment, she realized that it might not be just Moony that was feeling possessive of his mate. She took a deep breath to quiet her temper and magic. "Remus, you know I love you," she said softly, taking a step towards him and nudging Sirius out of the way. "And I love you too, Moony."

His eyes flickered green for a moment.

_Maybe I just need to remind him_. "I have no interest in Sirius, or any other man, besides friendship," she said, closing the distance between them, only stopping once they were chest to chest. She titled back her head to look directly in his eyes that were now wavering between amber and green. "Sometimes friends hold hands or hug. You know this. Just like you know that I'm in love with you."

The werewolf let out a pleased rumble.

She could hear a similar sound reverberate through her mind in response as her magic eased back. _Worry about that later,_ she thought dismissively. She bared her neck to him and pulled aside her robe and collar, exposing the bite mark he left behind when claiming her. "I'm _your_ mate."

Remus whined and ducked his head, burying his nose in her loose hair and inhaling deeply while his strong arms kept her pressed tight against his chest. "Mate. Mine," he said in a gravelly voice.

Sirius crept behind Remus, keeping his distance, and locked eyes with her over the werewolf's bent form, shooting her a questioning look.

She gave him a thumbs up, signaling that she could handle everything from there, and returned her arms to Remus as his nose and mouth continued their inspection of her skin and hair, as if making sure she was truly in his arms. Their magic intertwined, soothing each other, and she willed her werewolf to see the truth.

Her Animagus friend reflected her thumbs up and turned his back, disappearing down the corridor, towards the Great Hall.

_Speaking of which, I'm starving_. She moved to untangle herself from her werewolf, but his arms were like steel. She huffed out a laugh and pat his back. "Remus," she called.

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, leaning away from her and revealing his usual green eyes. "I was just worried about you. I felt your panic and rage a little while ago and ran to find you."

Ava's heart melted as her magic tingled with happiness, seemingly ecstatic that her mate cared for her. _Of course he does_, she reasoned with herself.

"Why can I smell blood on you?" he asked with furrowed brows.

She shrugged. "It was just a little nose bleed. But Sirius was paranoid that I was going to pass out or something, which is why he was in the bathroom with me. We were only in there for me to clean up."

Remus dropped his gaze, tucking his chin to his chest.

She rolled her eyes with a sign. "Look, it's fine. I know you can get…protective around the full moon. I've been a little short lately too, so it's alright. Just don't get physically aggressive with me like that again." While her tone may have been light, she maintained a stone faced expression so that he would know she wasn't going to take any shit from him in the future.

His eyes sparked amber for a second and he ducked his head, pressing his lips against hers.

Apparently, he was apologizing with his body. Not that Ava minded. Not one bit. He kissed her quite thoroughly because she managed to forget where they were until a throat cleared.

The couple broke apart but continued holding hands, and looked over to see who caused the interruption. Heat flushed across Ava's face. "Aunt Minerva," she greeted in a squeaky voice.

The professor looked at them in silence with a quirked brow, raised high over the rim of her glasses.

Remus cleared his throat. "Good morning, Professor."

The older witch pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "I expect to see you both in the Great Hall promptly." She threw Ava a discreet smirk as she swiveled and retreated down the corridor towards the dining hall.

The couple held their breath until the professor turned the corner and then dissolved into giggles. "God, that was embarrassing."

"I felt like a little boy caught with my hand in the cookie jar," Remus muttered while rubbing the back of his neck.

Ava shot him a heated look. "Yeah?"

He gently tugged her hand, steering her towards the Great Hall, with an exaggerated groan. "Don't tempt me, mate."

She followed him and bit her bottom lip. "Maybe I want you to be tempted."

They continued to tease each other as they walked to breakfast and all throughout the meal, amping up their need until they felt ready to explode from desire. Ava scarfed down her food, solely focused on getting her mate into a room alone as soon as possible. Once again she ignored the presence of her magic—making itself known and very willing to have Remus in a bed, naked and ready for her. She assumed that it was only crackling to life because she was so incredibly turned on.

* * *

The door to the Room of Requirement slammed closed behind Remus as Ava shoved him back against it, pressing her body to his and devouring his mouth.

They had finished breakfast and immediately set off for somewhere private, telling their friends that they would see them later at the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Ava hadn't been following the first couple of matches since her house hadn't been playing, but she couldn't exactly get out of going when two of her closest friends would be playing. Besides, she was extremely curious to see a match in person.

The pleased growl that rumbled from Remus's chest proved that Moony was close to the surface, which didn't surprise Ava with the full moon being that night. What shocked her was her own desperation and need for him.

They tore each other's clothes off, leaving a trail behind them as they moved back towards the bed. Remus seemed to tremble, his movements controlled, but their fully formed bond allowed Ava to feel the endless desire and lust that he was keeping bottled up.

She pushed him back onto the bed, forcing a surprised grunt from her werewolf. She climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips, but kept herself hovering, not allowing their most intimate areas to touch yet.

Chest heaving, he looked at her with dilated pupils and grabbed her hips, pressing her already wet heat against his hard length.

They both released a groan of pleasure, the skin on skin contact sending a tingling rush of magic throughout their bodies. Even though their bond was completed, the magic connecting them hadn't dissipated, but seemed to remain dormant most of the time.

Ava was determined to see her mate let go. She'd tease him until his control would break. For a split second, she felt a little too needy, but she refused to apologize for the primal urge to be taken by her mate.

Lifting herself off Remus's lap, she leaned forward and nipped his earlobe, earning a low moan from his parted lips. She trailed down to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and bit down, mirroring the spot he had claimed her.

Beneath her, she could feel his erected shaft straining up to meet her wet pussy. Ever so slowly, she lowered herself against his hard cock and ground her hips, titling to increase the pressure on her clit.

He moaned and gripped one hip and her back tightly, leaning up to suck one of her nipples into his mouth.

"Do you like it when I pleasure myself on your cock, mate?" she asked, breathlessly.

In response, he bit her nipple and reached up to pinch the other one between his fingers.

A moan slipped from her lips. Ava had been prepared to spend quite some time bringing her werewolf to brink of insanity, willing his control to snap, but with her resulting moan of pleasant delight, it appeared that he was already losing his composure.

* * *

His mate was more seductive and intoxicating than he ever could've imagined. For the majority of his life, Remus kept a tight leash on his wolf, always fearful of losing control. But Avalynn made it near impossible. Her body, words, and magic urged him to let go.

As he feasted on her nipples and listened to her pretty moans, he felt his reserve crumbling. He gripped her waist, lifting her off of him and turned, putting her on the bed in front of him on her hands and knees.

She let out a breathy groan and swayed her ass, encouraging the route he was heading down.

He reached out to cup her cheeks and gave her a little spank, and he nearly staggered from the wave of arousal that crashed through their bond. He scoot himself on his back underneath her and pulled her glistening lips towards his face.

Ava gasped in pleasure as he spread her open and devoured her with his tongue and teeth. He continued his assault until her legs were quivering, ready to buckle from a mere swipe of his tongue across her clit. He purposefully brought her to the brink of her orgasm and crawled out from under her body.

"Remus," she whined, desperation coloring her tone.

He chuckled. "Be patient, mate." He ran his hands over her perfect ass cheeks and placed a good, hard spank. He ignored her surprised squeal. "Scoot up," he commanded.

She compiled without hesitation, pleasing both himself and Moony immensely.

The compulsion to reclaim his mate mounted as he placed himself at her slick entrance.

"Please, Remus," Ava begged breathlessly.

Her insistence and desire seeping through their bond shred the last piece of control that was holding him back. He plunged into her, both of them groaning from the sensation. Remus pumped into her at a steady pace as he reached around and stroked her swollen clit.

"Fuck, yes!"

His fingers clenched the bed-sheet in an effort to steady himself. "So tight, Ava," he was able to ground out as her walls squeezed his cock.

Ava's moans and cries increased once more, letting him know that she was nearing her orgasm. But he wanted them to come together. So, he withdrew his fingers and leaned back on his knees, gripping her hips on either side.

"Remus," she whined.

"Soon, love," he promised, pounding into her backside rapidly.

When Ava started to protest, he grunted and spanked her ass. "You'll come when I say you can."

"Oh, fuck," she moaned to the sound of skin slapping skin. "God, Remus." She turned her head to the side and peeked at him from over her shoulder.

The glimpse of his mate's face, bottom lip being bitten in pure ecstasy, fueled his thrusts. Her body was absolute heaven. He trailed a hand down her spine and squeezed her ass cheek.

"Fuck, Remus. Please. I wanna come."

A loud groan slipped from his lips. "You beg so prettily, mate." His pace slowed as he leaned forward, placing his mouth next to her ear. He reached around to cup her breast. "Are you sure you're ready to come?" he teased while pinching her nipple.

"Yes! Yes, Remus, for fuck's sake!" she yelled, and he could see her hands twisting anxiously in the bed-sheet.

He tugged on her nipple once more before releasing it and sitting back on his knees.

As he thrust into her harder, Ava moaned.

"That's it, mate. Take my cock deep inside you. I can feel your pussy begging for more." Remus had never spoken such filthy words aloud before, but he had also never felt compelled to. Something about rutting his mate called to his baser instincts.

And there was clearly something to talking dirty during sex because Ava's pussy fluttered around him in response.

"Yes," he grunted, his breathing turned ragged. Only a couple more pumps and his orgasm hit like a tidal wave. "Ava!" he cried, pulling her hips to him in an effort to keep his throbbing cock plunged inside her for all eternity.

As his orgasm continued to wash over him, he leaned forward, his chest to her back. He wrapped an arm around her, snaking it down to her clit.

A mere second later, her pussy clenched and she screamed his name as continued his ministrations while she rode her orgasm.

As he slowly circled her delectable nub with his fingers, unbidden words fell from his lips. "Fuck. You feel so good. Merlin, Ava. I can't believe your my mate. I could do this forever."

Her body twitched as she grew more sensitive. "Do what?"

His eyes had fallen closed while pressed against her back, and lost in the haze of post-orgasm bliss, he spoke without reserve. "Just be with you. Make love to you and fuck you. Put my cubs in you."

Her body tensed beneath his and in realization, his eyes flicked open. Even without their bond, her anxiety was obvious. His hand found hers atop the bed and he threaded their fingers. "Is that not what you want?"

"Well—," she started and then huffed out a laugh. "Could we do this face to face?"

His lips twitched as he pushed himself upright, and both of them let out a small hiss as he slipped out of her. As Ava dropped onto her back, and he collapsed next to her.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked down at him with furrowed brows, but reached out to hold his hand.

"I want that future with you, Remus," she said slowly. "But, we're so young and there's a lot up in the air right now."

He blew out a breath. _Thank Merlin. She isn't dumping me. Mentioning kids this early? What were you thinking, Remus? And you too, Moony._ His wolf snuffled in the back of his mind, as if he did nothing wrong and was insulted at the implication. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bit—"

"Honest?" she asked with a smile.

He chuckled. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it."

She gave his fingers a small squeeze. "We promised to be honest about our relationship, right?"

He nodded.

"So, here goes nothing," she mumbled, eyes darting away from him. "I feel the same. At least, that is if you feel the same way that I do. I love being with you. Physically _and_ emotionally. In a few years time, I can see us—," her gaze flicked back to his, "getting married and having a family."

He beamed. Love rushed through their connection in time with his heartbeat.

"But, who knows what'll happen between now and then?" She gnawed at her bottom lip. "I don't plan on going anywhere, but the Wizarding World is on the brink of a war."

Remus pulled her close and she rested her cheek against his chest as he gently played with her hair. "But you're working on that, right? With Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore? And the Order?"

She nodded and silence permeated the Room for several moments before he heard a quiet sniffle.

He looked down at her with wide eyes. "Ava? Are you okay, love?"

She lifted her head and looked at him with tears streaming down her face. "What if it's not enough? What if _I'm_ not enough to change anything?"

The storm of doubt and worry swirling inside his mate made his heart crack into pieces. He cupped her cheek and wiped away her tears. "You'll always be enough. Never doubt that."

She gave him a watery smile, but he could feel her dark thoughts still lingering.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I think you put too much pressure on yourself. While I might not know the exact circumstances of what's supposed to happen, I can guarantee that you've already changes the lives of plenty of people."

His mate frowned in confusion.

He chuckled lightly with a shake of his head. "Me, Ava. You're my _mate_ and that's incredibly special. You know how special it is, it's difficult to put into words. The friendships you've formed with James and Sirius, and even Snape and Regulus, I'm sure, have helped them grow. Helped them become more compassionate and understanding. More open-minded. Sirius has actually started to think before he speaks or jinxes someone in the hallway."

She laughed. "I know."

He stroked her cheek. "And I'm sure McGonagall would be a lot more lonely without you. It's obvious she adores you. So don't ever think that you aren't enough for all of us. No matter what happens in the future, you've already done enough good to last a lifetime."

Ava beamed at him as love and appreciation surged across their bond. She leaned up and kissed him deeply. "Thank you, Remus."

"It's no problem, my mate."

She pecked another kiss against his lips and then laid her head on his chest, curling into his side.

_Yeah_, Remus thought, wrapping an arm around Ava. _I could definitely get used to this._


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hope everyone is still staying safe and healthy! Remember that this chapter immediately follows the last one. Enjoy! :)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments!
> 
> Review shout-out: Astraea_717, thank you :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 40**

Avalynn strode through the bookshelves, panting from the effort to meet Regulus and Severus on-time. Her hair, still wet from a pleasurable shower in the Room of Requirement, was pulled back in a braid. She absentmindedly lifted the front of her shirt to her nose, breathing in Remus's scent that lingered.

She plopped down into her seat with a sigh. "I'm sorry for running late. I was with Remus and we got sidetracked. You would not believe the pull between soulmates. It's insatiable. Or maybe it's because I'm mated to someone of a furrier nature, you know? So, maybe it's animal instinct?" As Ava slowly realized the amount of T.M.I. that had just slipped out her mouth, she peeked at her friends.

Severus raised a brow at her choice of words and appeared to be fighting a smile. "I assumed as much, especially after leaving you alone with Lupin at the Room a few weeks ago."

Regulus's mouth hung open as his wide eyes bounced between her and Severus.

She giggled at his scandalized expression. "Oh, c'mon, Regulus."

He shook himself and frowned. "I would like to apologize, Ava. I feel as though I've failed you."

She was beyond confused and opened her mouth to ask what the hell Regulus was talking about when he continued.

"A true friend and gentleman would've remained at your side as a chaperone and wouldn't have allowed you to be placed in such a vulnerable position."

Ava stared at him in bewilderment and heard a scoff come from Severus's direction.

"I find it highly unlikely that you would've been able to persuade Ava regarding that particular facet of her private life, Regulus," he said.

The idea of needing to be supervised by someone so that she wouldn't "fall prey" to a man and have sex baffled her. Even knowing that Regulus meant no harm, her magic flared in agitation at the implication that he would keep her from Remus. "Severus is right."

Regulus shifted in his seat, cheeks flushing red at the direction the conversation was heading.

She gave him a small smile and reached out to give his hand a quick squeeze to show that she wasn't angry with him. "Regulus, look, while I appreciate your concern for my well-being, it's not necessary. For several reasons."

With furrowed brows, he opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, with her voice lowered. Her heightened senses hadn't detected any other students within hearing distance, so she didn't bother with a privacy spell. "First of all, Remus is my soulmate. Our magic decided that we _literally_ belong together. And he's such a kind, sweet guy, you'll never have to worry about him taking advantage of me, in any way. Second of all, even if I wanted to have sex—"

Regulus choked and she fought a grin.

"—with someone else, you have no say in who I sleep with."

He frowned and shook his head, about to interject, when she continued.

"And third of all, and please listen closely. Women have sex drives too, and we enjoy sex just as much as men do. We have needs and urges, so why should I have to remain 'pure and virginal' when men aren't expected to?" She crossed her arms and sat back with her brows raised, allowing the _scary_, progressive comments to sink in.

Severus was smirking at her and some of the tension left her body.

_At least I don't have to worry about him trying to interfere with my sex life_, she thought before looking back to Regulus, who was pinching the bridge of his nose with closed eyes.

He let out a deep breath and flicked his eyes open. "I may sound like a prude, but I swear that I'm just trying to do right by you, Ava. I understand that my way of thinking may be limited to Purebloods and some Half-bloods, but I'm reasonable and open-minded enough to realize that not everyone shares those beliefs."

Pink tinged his cheeks as he added, "I have no intention of interfering with your love life." His lips formed a deep frown. "And I must admit that after you mentioned it, I can see the double standard that my upbringing holds women to. It's unfair to expect them to remain chaste before marriage when most men don't."

"Yeah?"

He huffed. "Don't sound so surprised. I _am_ capable of thinking for myself." He lowered his voice. "Especially when I've seen first-hand that Purebloods can spout off beliefs and values that aren't entirely moral or ethical."

She nodded.

"Well, now that you two have settled your differences regarding sexual behavior, can we please focus? Some of us have exams next week and would like to spend Christmas break without fretting over the results," Severus commented in a dry tone.

Ava and Regulus shared a smile and got themselves settled in with their textbooks and copious amounts of parchment scattered across the table. They worked in silence for quite some time and she felt successful when they eventually packed up and headed to lunch. Even though Slytherin wasn't playing in the Quidditch match, Regulus planned to watch while Severus would be in Potions lab, brewing his own experiments. Ava planned to attend with Remus and her Gryffindor friends in support of James and Sirius.

As they headed to the Great Hall, she asked, "So, what should I expect at the New Year's Eve Ball?" Those that had been deemed worthy had received their invitations earlier that week by owl delivery. The shimmery, cream envelope had earned Ava some curious looks at the Gryffindor table and she had quickly put away the opulent paper, hoping to avoid questions.

However, it seemed that the invitations were a highly anticipated event each year and by the end of the meal, it was clear which of her fellow Gryffindors were bitter for being left out, more wary of her for being among the invited, or clearly didn't give two shits about who was attending the snobbish holiday party. Unfortunately, Lily had seemed to withdraw from Ava a bit at the sight of her invitation, and Peter had found it interesting enough to engage Ava in conversation about why she would be invited. She had shrugged and played dumb, assuming that it must be because she's a new student and Professor McGonagall's niece.

Severus's voice drew Ava back to the present. "I would advise that you become educated on Pureblood etiquette so that you can handle yourself accordingly at the ball. You'll be in close quarters with mostly Purebloods and Slytherins, so it would be best for you to prepare for that kind of environment." He gave her a pointed look.

She rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. I _can_ control my emotions. I just choose not to most of the time."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself, Ava."

Regulus sighed. "I'm not sure we'll have time to help you before classes end. But you should at least continue practicing your Occlumency. That'll help you regulate your emotions, which will help you tolerate being surrounded by people you can't stand," he finished with a smile.

"And we'll talk about the, uh, _thing_ that we'll be looking for when I see you tomorrow?"

Both boys nodded.

After deliberating for a couple minutes about where and when to meet up the next day, Ava released an annoyed huff. "We need something that allows us to communicate. Instantly. Besides it making our lives easier, we really should have something in case we need to contact each other immediately or if there's an emergency." Based on the worried looks her friends were sporting, she didn't need to vocalize what kinds of serious situations could arise for which instant communication would be extremely useful.

With the agreement to think more on the issue, the trio split off to their respective tables once they entered the dining hall. James and Sirius scarfed down their lunch and headed to the Quidditch pitch for warm-ups, leaving Ava with Remus and the others for about an hour before the match. It was the longest period she had spent around the other seventh years purely socializing and she found herself eventually relaxing. Of course, the girls were friendly as usual, helping in that regard, but even Frank and Peter seemed more pleasant and talkative. She chalked it up to them being excited about the Quidditch match. _I'll take what I can get_, she thought with an internal shrug.

By the end of the match, which Gryffindor had won, of course, Ava had found herself shocked by Peter's behavior. He had been perfectly polite to her the entire game and even helped explain the rules and maneuvers the players were using. Snuggling into Remus for warmth, she had been startled when Peter had initially peered around the werewolf to see if she understood the sport. At her mate's questioning gaze, likely feeling her fingers tense around his arm, she forced herself to loosen up and remain cordial to the rodent Animagus. Within a few minutes, it became clear that Peter was simply being friendly and she decided to use the situation to her advantage since the boys were wanting her to be nicer to him.

* * *

Later that evening, Ava walked with the Marauders down the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack, Remus leading the way with their fingers intertwined. The others were using their wands to keep the path lit for themselves, but the beams didn't quite reach where she and Remus were trudging ahead of them. However, it didn't seem to matter. Ava could actually see the majority of the roots and rocks littering the ground as they moved through the passageway despite the lack of light.

Her magic flitted about her body, but she could feel a good portion of it concentrated in the hand attached to Remus. It was reaching out to him for comfort, which wasn't too much of a shock considering her fingers were gripping his tightly, nervous about their first full moon together. While Ava wasn't concerned about being alongside her werewolf for the entire transformation, she had no clue how the completion of their bond would affect either of them when the moon was fully risen in the night sky.

She hoped that they both, or at least Remus, would be more comfortable during the transition because of their close proximity. As she trailed behind her mate, there was something in the back of her mind, causing her to be restless. But she was struggling to get a good read on her emotions and magic at the moment.

Her body was itching to claw its way out of the underground tunnel and sprint across the school grounds until dawn, while at the same time, urging her to rip off their clothes and beg Remus to take her from behind right there in the dirt. Another part of her wanted to get to the Shack as quick as possible and snuggle up to her werewolf, cuddling until daybreak. And despite the fact that she's inclined to seek reassurance from her soulmate, there was a tiny piece of her mind protesting. _I shouldn't need him to feel safe. I can manage just fine on my own._

Once the five of them were settled in the dusty upstairs bedroom, Remus took off his clothes, appearing no longer embarrassed to be naked in front of his close friends or Ava. They had only been in the secure room for a few minutes when Remus's eyes flashed amber, signaling to the other boys to hurry up and morph into their animal forms.

She watched the Animagi with a bit of jealousy. Of course, she could study and train to become one herself, but she couldn't justify spending valuable time on learning that skill when there were bigger issues at hand. Like learning the basic spells every teenager at Hogwarts knew, regardless of how awesome it would be for her to change into an animal at will.

Ava was pulled from her musings when, right on schedule, her nerves prickled all over her body. The feeling of pins and needles was familiar territory, but the sensation grew into an aching pain that radiated from her very bones. She let out a pained gasp and looked to Remus with wide, scared eyes.

More experienced with the transformation, Remus was merely shifting on his feet in agitation. "What is it?" he rushed out in a panic, reaching out for her.

The pressure of his hands on her arms was unbearable with her muscles and bones feeling ready to burst from underneath her skin, causing her to cry out. _What the HELL? This isn't good_, she thought dimly as her face scrunched up in pain.

He jumped back from her as if burned. "Ava! What's wrong?" He let out an animalistic whine and paced next to her, seeming too afraid to touch her again.

She braced herself on her knees, the panic wanting her to take gulping breaths of fresh air, but the sharp stabbing in her ribs was too much. She clenched her jaw and took shallow breaths, staring at the floor in concentration.

Sirius spoke up in an effort to reassure Remus. "I think she's alright, Moony. I didn't actually see her during the transformation last time, but she was in pain and it sounded an awful lot like she does right now."

Hearing sickening cracks and a low groan, Ava's head snapped up in time to see Remus slump to the floor on his knees, still eyeing her with concern. "I'm okay," she whispered with pained effort.

As fur began to sprout along Remus's skin while his limbs morphed and elongated, she felt her own bones begin to shift and now she panicked fully, looking to Sirius and James in fright who reflected her distraught expression.

Her magic simmered throughout her entire body, rising to an excruciating boil. Between cries and gasps of pain, she shouted, "I think—Ah! I'm chang—Fuck!"

Brought down to her hands and knees, Ava grunted as her spine snapped, the searing pain causing her vision to darken. Her fingers flexed against the wooden floorboards, but when she managed to glance down to see what was keeping her nails from peeling right off, she found claws attached to her furry arms.

_What the fuck?_ She blinked rapidly, assuming the sight was just a trick of her imagination. She had barely enough motor control to lift a hand in an attempt to bring it closer to her face for inspection when darkness consumed her vision.

* * *

Without opening her eyes, Ava could smell that Sirius was the one nudging her side, using his snout to entice her to wake up. She grumbled about resting her eyes for only a little longer, but the dog was relentless. He continued to prod at her ribs and shoulders, as if he were trying to roll her over, but he seemed unable to.

_That's weird_, she thought. _He's definitely big enough to_. When the familiar and welcome scent of Remus replaced Padfoot's, Ava became more alert and blinked her eyes slowly, trying to clear her vision. Immediately, Moony licked her face and released a happy yip.

_Ava_, Remus called, sounding as if he were inside her mind.

Her eyes shot open, her sight feeling sharper than ever before. She could clearly see the three Animagi on the other side of the room watching her intensely, Padfoot and Prongs side-by-side with Wormtail clutching onto the deer's antlers. Ava's brain barely registered the fact that she could discern each of their scents from that distance, or that her eyes noticed every minute adjustment or shuffle of their bodies.

Swiveling her head to look at Remus, she groaned, her skull pounding and feeling like it weighed a ton. The sound she produced startled her into a sitting position. It had reminded her of when Moony or Padfoot would growl. That realization brought back the memories riddled with immense pain from right before she blacked out. She huffed out a breath of laughter. _I actually thought I was turning into a wolf too_.

_Ava_, Remus called again, sounding hesitant.

Once again, it felt as though he were inside her mind, but she shook her head and attempted to stand. She immediately tripped over her feet and collapsed to the floor. Hearing what sounded like laughter from the animals in the room, she lifted her head, intending to send a glare at them, but a deep growl left her throat.

A high yelp escaped from Ava as she scrambled backwards, tumbling into the pile of blankets and cushions.

_Calm down, Ava. You're fine. Everything's fine. Take it easy._

_Are you in my head?_ she asked in a panic, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, but the tingling alertness trailed farther down her spine, all the way to her tail-bone.

_Yes, love. I need you to breathe and just listen for a moment, okay?_

An unbidden whine slipped out of her. _I don't understand what's going on._

_I'm not entirely sure either, but it seems that you're now a—well, you've got—_

_What, Remus?!_ she asked with an audible snarl. But Ava didn't need him to answer when she realized she could scent the trickles of fear radiating from the deer and rat in the room following her sound of aggression. The dog didn't seem afraid, but his anxiety permeated the air.

Steeling her nerves, she slowly dipped her head, taking a look down at her body. _Well, shit. I have fur._ She could hear herself panting and resolved to take slow breaths. _Huh. It's kinda pretty. Golden yellow to match my hair._ She slowly stood, wobbling a bit as she adjusted her stance to accommodate four legs and a tail. Her paws were massive, but not quite the size of Moony's. Simultaneously, her head and ears perked up, looking to Remus.

_So, I'm a wolf_, she thought, directing it towards her mate.

The large, sandy wolf trotted towards her with a bark of excitement. _Apparently. And we can communicate like this._ His head nuzzled against her face and neck, and he even licked her a few times. _This is incredible, Ava! Amazing. I've never been conscious during the night after I transform._

She pushed back against him lovingly and then noticed his tail wagging. A gruff laugh come out of her mouth, resulting in wide, shocked eyes that peered over her shoulder to see her own tail wafting back and forth through the air.

Remus returned her chuckle and turned her attention to the Animagi with a soft bark and inclination of his head.

Padfoot bounded over without hesitation and set out to sniff his new playmate, while Prongs slowly approached with Wormtail still perched high in his antlers.

As the dog circled Ava, she tracked him with her eyes, but spun around to snap at him with her newly acquired sharp teeth when he crept too close to her behind. _No sniffing my ass, Sirius!_

His eyes grew comically wide before he barked and hopped around on his feet for a few moments. _I can hear you!_ He looked to Moony. _Remus?_

The poor werewolf looked the most startled he'd been all night. After a few minutes of rapid discussion and celebration, Ava discovered that while the Animagi could speak to each other, they hadn't been able to mentally connect with Remus before, and had to communicate with Moony through their typical animal sounds and body language. It appeared that the bond between herself and Remus allowed for him to remain conscious during the full moon.

Pondering this development, Ava thought to herself that her sealed bond with Remus was acting like a natural Wolfsbane Potion, allowing him and Moony to exist in harmony as a wolf.

Even with this progress, Remus and Moony were still filled with energy and playfulness, resulting in a plethora of tag and chase games throughout the night. Periodically, Remus would seemingly recall the reason for being fully aware during the full moon and would nuzzle against her, practically purring in his appreciation.

It took Ava some time to adjust to her new, large and powerful body, but eventually she was able to keep up with Moony and Padfoot and even catch them unawares, nipping at their tails. When she finally settled her exhausted, lumbering body into the collection of cushions and blankets, she cleared her mind and drowned out the noises from the boys.

Taking inventory of herself, Ava could detect her magic and the fact that while it was currently calm, there was still a wildness that was reminiscent of her conflicting emotions earlier in the night. If she hadn't been so depleted of energy, she might've felt more inclined to give into her magic and the urge to run outside in the moonlit forest.

Having found herself circling a spot a few times before laying down to rest, it became more apparent that her wolfish tendencies were in full force that night. _Does that mean I'm a werewolf? Or I'm just a werewolf by association? I'm supposed to be scared and freaking out, right?_ Thankfully, her mental shield was still in place, so her mini existential crisis didn't alarm Remus or the other boys. _It can't be a bad thing if Remus and Moony aren't warring with each other,_ she reasoned.

Ava curled against herself tighter and pulled her tail in close, wrapping it around her front, nearly covering her snout. She laid down her now fluffy head and watched the boys play wrestle through drooping eyes.

Sometime later, her sensitive nose woke her up when Remus snuggled and inched his way up against her and let out a pleased rumble as he dropped down to the comfy pile for sleep. His warm, hulking body brought her feelings of being safe and at home.

_I love you_, he told her.

_I love you too, Remus_.

Even in their wolf forms, the couple's magic danced across their fur and mingled in delight. The stress of everything washed away while Ava basked in the presence of her mate and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Enjoy! I want to let you know that the rest of the story is all plotted out :D It's just bursting at my fingertips, so the chapters will be longer and more frequent from now on :)
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 41**

The completed soulmate bond between Avalynn and Remus not only allowed for her to transform into a wolf or for Remus to be able to stay aware during the full moon and communicate with his friends, but it also sped up their recovery. While they didn't have absolute proof of this, the couple had experienced less painful transitions back to their human forms and were able to leave the Hospital Wing before lunch the following day.

Initially, Ava had tried to play off the ache and exhaustion while accompanying Remus to visit Madame Pomfrey, but the healer was too observant. Fortunately, the young witch had barely any fight in her as Remus and Madame Pomfrey coaxed her into a bed. Professor McGonagall arrived soon there after and was able to glean what had occurred during the night from the students before they both fell fast asleep.

McGonagall pulled the privacy curtain closed around her niece and Remus, brushing aside the fact that they shouldn't be sharing a bed, and stepped closer to the school's matron. "Can I assume that you've already run a diagnostic spell over them both?"

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Of course, that was the first thing I did. Why?"

"I just want to be sure that Ava's healthy, and Mr. Lupin too, but she's had a lot of developments with her magic and not all of them good. And we most certainly weren't expecting _this_." She gestured in the direction of the sleeping students. "I think it would be wise to take another look at her magical core, just to be safe." The professor's brows were furrowed as her eyes flicked towards the curtain surrounding the girl who had earned a spot in her heart.

The healer reached out to clasp McGonagall's hand. "Given the state of their bodies, with no claw or teeth marks, just a few bumps and bruises, I'd say that they were more than fine last night. This morning was the healthiest I've ever seen Mr. Lupin and the first time he's been able to walk in here on his own. And according to Mr. Lupin's experience with the transformation over the years, it shouldn't be as painful for Avalynn in the future."

The professor squeezed her friend's hand. "Thank you for the reassurance, Poppy. That poor girl has a lot resting on her shoulders, and I just want to do my best to make life easier for her. Godric knows it's only going to get worse."

At Madame Pomfrey's questioning gaze, she continued, "Albus decided to induct her into the Order over break, at the meeting before Christmas. I fear that she'll take to the role like a fish to water, and withdraw into herself once again."

The healer tsked. "We won't allow her to, Minerva. We'll just have to remind her of the friends and family that she can rely on."

* * *

"Again, girl," Phineas snapped at Ava.

She tossed back her head with a groan.

"You asked for my help, Miss McGonagall. If you truly do not wish for my assistance, I'll take my leave."

Her head snapped up to look at the old wizard who had halted his pacing in front of the painted cottage. "Wait!" She sighed and straightened her posture. "Let's keep going. I'm not giving up yet."

Ava retraced her steps, backing a few feet away from the portrait above the fireplace in her quarters. After giving some thought over the past few days as to who could possibly help her study the customs of Pureblood families that wasn't currently studying for exams, she had politely asked the former Headmaster for his guidance. Only a mere mention of the invitation to Malfoy Manor had been enough to pique his interest.

"This is why Purebloods instill manners and societal expectations within their children from the time they can walk," Phineas grumbled.

"As well as insipid prejudices," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" the wizard called out as she pivoted on her heel to face him.

"Nothing. Should I start?"

Phineas nodded.

Ava tried her best to keep her posture perfect and face neutral as she once again stepped towards the portrait, practicing the protocol of greeting a Pureblood host and hostess. Phineas was being rude and uppity on purpose, attempting to get a rise out of her, and it was working.

"That was better, but your face slipped momentarily." He looked at her while stroking his black beard. "If only there was a way for you to compartmentalize your emotions and remain cool and collected."

_Occlumency_, she realized. _Duh_. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I was merely thinking aloud how convenient it would be if you studied a branch of magic that would allow your mind to be organized and shielded." He paused before raising his brows. "Oh, wait. You do."

Before she could open her mouth, he continued. "You know that I have a portrait in the Headmaster's office, witch. I was there when Dumbledore struggled to break though your Occlumency shield. Though, you're lucky that he wasn't a true enemy because he could've shredded through your mind like a piece of parchment if he chose to."

Ava should've realized that there were witnesses to her last encounter with Dumbledore, but she was too wrapped up in her fury at him in the heat of the moment to even notice. She looked to the portrait with a frown. "That's not comforting, Phineas."

"It wasn't meant to be, dear girl. You'll need to tap into your more Slytherin-like attributes if you intend to continue down this precarious path."

Confusion flickered through her mind before she realized that he must be referring to her participation in the Order and collecting Voldemort's Horcruxes. She stormed up to the portrait, pointing a threatening finger at him. "You can't tell _anyone_, Phineas. I don't care what your beliefs are, you keep this information to yourself." Ava rested her hands on her hips. "Are you obligated to tell Dumbledore everything we talk about?"

The wizard waved his hand dismissively. "I'm loyal to Hogwarts, young lady, not that eccentric fool."

"What about your other portrait? The one in Grimmauld Place? Does the location of your portraits affect who you're bound to?"

Standing so close to Phineas, she could see his small eyes widen at the mention of Sirius's former home before realization dawned in his eyes. The wizard must've recalled the reason she was able to offer help to the Order in the first place.

"I tend to stay away from there if at all possible," he muttered. "With Walburga's incessant screeching and Orion lacking the spine to stand up to her, the atmosphere is more nauseating than welcoming."

A surprised laugh escaped from Ava. "How _is_ the illustrious Black family?"

Phineas took a seat on the bench in front of the cottage. "They are the epitome of a British Pureblood family. Despite the failings of the parents, I'm rather fond of young Regulus, and it's a shame about Sirius."

Her jaw clenched. "And what exactly is the shameful part?"

"That the boy had so much potential and both he and his mother were too brash and prideful to hear the other out."

Ava scoffed. "It's difficult to simply 'hear one out' when the person is exceedingly racist and prejudiced."

Phineas humphed and shifted in his seat. After a few moments of silence, he said, "Speaking of which, I'd like to offer my assistance."

She looked up at the portrait in confusion. "With what?"

He tsked. "Young lady, you are more clever than that." He stood from the bench and walked as close as he could to the front of the painting. "I'd like help you and the Order of the Phoenix with dismantling this Voldemort fellow and his followers."

Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. "Wha—what? But they're the old-school Purebloods." With her brain and mouth still struggling to function properly, he continued speaking.

"Yes, well, Muggles might be useless creatures, but Half-bloods and even Mudbloods still have magical blood."

Ava's mouth dropped open. "That's…rather progressive of you."

He chuckled dryly. "Even though I may have been a mere portrait, I still lived through the dark times of Grindelwald, Miss McGonagall. There is nothing more senseless than massacring our own kind because of differing political beliefs." He began to pace across the front lawn of the cottage with his hands clasped behind his back. "I have also been around long enough to witness plenty of Half-blood and, though I loathe to admit it, Mudblood students that have walked through the halls of Hogwarts with varying degrees of magical talent, but all at least had a modicum of skill."

She rolled her eyes. "You _could_ call them Muggleborns, you know." Though she had been quite desensitized to the derogatory term, she knew it upset a lot of others, including her closest friends. Ava's face must've shown her emotions rising to the surface as an argument formed on her lips.

Phineas sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose with closed eyes. "Don't look at me like that, girl."

Amused, she quirked a brow, but crossed her arms.

The wizard peeked his eyes open and let out an exaggerated huff. "I shall endeavor to watch my choice of words."

She nodded. "That's all I ask for."

He returned her nod, then made a shooing gesture, signaling for her to resume the position of approaching the Lord and Lady Malfoy that Phineas was currently acting as.

Ava scuttled back from the portrait a few feet then closed her eyes and focused, shaping the mountainous landscape of her mind. She carefully harnessed the anger and frustration of her situation and the worry that accompanied those emotions when she considered the fate of the Wizarding World and secured them in a blue-green pond. She willed large boulders and enormous pines to surround the pond, caging in the distracting feelings, and opened her eyes to face Phineas once again.

The pair continued to move through various situations that Ava might find herself in while at the Malfoys' Ball, and eventually she called it quits for the night. Aunt Minerva was supposed to be returning from an after-dinner faculty meeting soon and she has an important proposal for the professor, but she also needed time to study.

With a sigh, the young witch plopped into a comfy chair in front of the fireplace, closed her eyes, and let her head drop back onto the cushion. Interrupting the blessed silence, a throat cleared.

"Yes?" she asked Phineas without opening her eyes.

When the silence continued, she peered up at the portrait to find the wizard shifting uncomfortably on his feet, picking lint from the sleeve of his robes. His eyes darted between Ava and nearly everywhere else in the room.

She perked up in her seat. "Phineas?"

He cleared his throat. "This may be a delicate subject, but I'd like to inquire as to whether or not you have someone with whom you can speak to about the trials you'll be facing."

Her head tilted as she repeated, "'Someone I can speak to'?"

The wizard's cheeks reddened. "Yes, that is, someone who is willing to lend an ear if you have need. Someone who knows the truth about your situation."

Ava's heart melted. "Phineas, are you asking if I have a friend to talk to? About my feelings?"

He nodded, still blushing.

"Are you offering?" she asked, unable to hide her grin.

The red tinting his cheeks darkened as he nodded again.

She smiled, but forced her laugh down. "Thank you for thinking of me, but I'm okay." She allowed her eyes to drift closed as she rested back on the chair once more.

Phineas cleared his throat. "Miss McGonagall."

She rolled her eyes but gave him her attention. "Yes, Headmaster Black?"

"I may have been present last week when you returned to your quarters, and you appeared to be distressed…emotionally."

Ava racked her mind for when he could be talking about and it slowly came to her. She had said goodnight to Remus outside the door and allowed herself to break down, thinking she had been alone. "Phineas," she ground out in a warning tone as frustrated tears pricked at her eyes.

He raised his hands in supplication and spoke quickly. "I sincerely apologize for the intrusion, but I was hesitant to leave without knowing if you were truly unharmed."

She stared at the wizard as the unbidden tears dripped down her face. He sounded genuine. He didn't mean to spy on her or stumble upon her emotional fit. _No_, Ava scolded herself. _It wasn't a fit. I was grieving._

His features softened. "I'm sorry, dear girl. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay," she said in a wobbly voice as she wiped her eyes.

"I know that many people, especially those of my House, look down on those that experience deep emotions and 'follow their hearts' so to speak, seeing it as a weakness. I used to think the same, but I've had plenty of time to consider how I lived my life. It's possible that I would have been more fulfilled if I had been happy, rather than content, or if I had loved, instead of tolerated, those closest to me."

His eyes had glazed over, but now he shook his head and refocused on Ava. "Feelings and emotions don't make you weak, child. What would be a detriment is if you allow yourself to wallow and drown in them and in doing so, prevent yourself from obtaining your goals. However, there is a difference between coping with your emotions and using them to better yourself, or suppressing them in an attempt to never let them resurface." He let that sink in. "From what I've witnessed so far, Avalynn, I wouldn't be surprised if you knew of that difference within yourself already. Nevertheless, if you find yourself in need of…companionship, I am more than willing and able."

Ava sniffled. "Thank you, Phineas."

He politely inclined his head. "Unless you would like for me to stay, I'll bid you goodnight, Miss McGonagall."

She gave him a weak smile. "No, I'm okay, you can go. Thanks again. I'll remember what you said."

The wizard hesitated at the edge of the painting. "Are you certain you're alright?"

A laugh burst from her mouth as she motioned for him to leave. "I'm positive! Bugger off old man."

Instead of berating her language as she thought he would, he smiled and said, "Goodnight," before disappearing from the portrait.

* * *

"_Confringo_!" Without waiting to see if the flames destroyed the dummy, Ava's eyes flicked to her next target. "_Bombarda_!"

She ignored the pounding in her skull as she continued to fire spells at the moving target dummies the Room of Requirement had created for her. Severus and Regulus had just left her to review one last time before their final day of exams tomorrow, but she had only been able to practice Occlumency with them so she was sticking around to work on honing her dueling skills with Remus, James, and Sirius. With the Malfoy Ball only a couple weeks away, her Slytherin friends had been ruthless in their attempts to invade her mind.

The Gryffindor boys would be joining her soon enough and hopefully the mild pain potion Severus had left behind would kick in by then. She may have grumbled about his hesitance at her consuming any type of pain potion, but she was truly grateful for his foresight because she wouldn't have considered how the potion might have affected her after her prior abuse. Another reason she was feeling extremely grateful for her best friend was that she had been able to convince him to teach her _Sectumsempra_ and _Vulnera Sanentur_.

His dark eyes had been fixed on her for quite some time before he nodded his acquiescence, and she swore up and down that she would only use the deadly spell in an absolute emergency.

Wanting to test out another recently learned spell, Ava threw an Entrail-Expelling Curse at a dummy that had just swiveled into sight. Her eyebrows raised as the sickly yellow light made contact with the stuffed target. Immediately, the dummy's midsection had burst open and its fluffy innards spilled onto the floor.

"Cool," she whispered, feeling pleased at her capability of performing the curse as well as its efficiency. She flinched and looked behind her towards the door, hoping that the boys hadn't stumbled in to find her in awe of such a dark spell. _That's an argument I do _not _feel up for tonight_, she thought as she rubbed her temples, willing the headache to go away.

A few nights ago, Ava had summoned her courage and spoke to Aunt Minerva about looking in the Restricted Section for research on useful spells. The professor had resisted at first, but once she had come clean about Dumbledore attempting to enter her mind, and once that particularly awkward conversation had been finished, the older witch was on the fence. What had finally sealed the deal was Ava questioning aloud that if that was how the leader of the light treated her, how did her aunt think the Death Eaters and Voldemort would behave in battle or elsewhere.

The only stipulations had been that she couldn't remove any of the texts from the Restricted Section or sneak any of her friends in. Severus had already been in once to investigate the off-limits books with her, but that was because Professor Slughorn had given his "most promising student" permission. After trying the Entrail-Expelling Curse, she was excited to try another spell called _Magicus Extremos_ that allowed partners to share magical power, which in theory, would increase the power behind the spell. The book hadn't been too descriptive on the details, but she still wanted to try it out.

Hearing the door open behind her, Ava turned to see Remus, James, and Sirius waltzing in. As the Room put the targets back to rights, she joined the boys at the edge of the dueling mat and wrapped Remus up in a hug.

He pecked a kiss against her cheek and sent a burst of love through their bond, causing a wide grin to break out on her face.

"What're you so smiley about?" Sirius teased.

She ignored his real meaning and gestured for them to join her on the mat. "I've got a new spell I want to try out, but it requires two people."

"Why do you need two people?" James asked.

"We could use all four of us if we wanted to, but I figured it'd be better to start with just two people since I don't have all the details."

"Wait, what? You want to attempt a brand new spell, but you don't know what it does?" Remus asked with a frown.

She shrugged. "I've got the gist. It's called _Magicus Extremos_ and it allows the caster and a partner to share magic." She smiled and waggled her eyebrows. "Cool, right?"

The three wizards looked at each other with various amounts of concern etched on their faces.

She sighed and threw her head back, flinging her arms in the air. "C'mon, guys. You're no fun! Let's just try it." She crossed her arms with a pout.

"Look, Ava, I'm just as fun as the next bloke," Sirius said, "but magic isn't something you play around with. Especially magic that links you to another person."

Her frustration lifted minutely as she glanced at Remus. She knew all about magic connecting you to someone. Shaking her head, she said, "But it's not the same."

Before she could continue, Remus spoke up. "Let's see the spell. Do you have the book on you?"

Her cheeks heated as she bit her lip. She hadn't told them about her newly acquired access to the Restricted Section, worried about how they'd react. "I—uh, don't have it with me."

"We can just check it out in the library tomorrow, if you want," James said.

Ava shifted on her feet, hands wringing together. "You won't be able to see it unless you get permission," she mumbled.

All three boys cursed colorfully.

"I don't even know why I'm surprised," Remus said with a shake of his head.

Her very soul withered a bit when she recognized the mild disappointment filtering through their bond.

Sirius looked as though he was trying not to laugh at her downtrodden expression as he said, "Even the world renown Marauders don't try out new spells without all the information."

"But—," she started with a frown.

Protests from the boys made it clear.

"Fine!" she shouted. "Let's just duel then." She spun on her heel and stomped to the opposite end of the dueling mat. The weathered text might not have explained every little detail of _Magicus Extremos_, but it had enough of the theory included that she knew it wouldn't hurt anyone unless you stayed connected for too long. Magical cores could only interact on a limited basis, otherwise they'd become unstable. _The spell isn't designed to keep you connected permanently, for crying out loud_, she thought as she swerved back around to face her opponent.

"Ready, Jamesie poo?" she called out mockingly, allowing her annoyance to bleed through her tone.

"Ava," Remus warned from the sidelines.

He could probably feel her frustration bleeding through their bond. She waved him off. "I'm sure he can handle it. Can't you, James?" she asked, turning a sharp smile on her friend.

He gulped, eyeing her wand, but nodded. "Ready whenever you are."

James had not been ready. Neither had Sirius, or Remus. So much so that Ava took to the sidelines as more of an instructor than a peer. Currently, James and Sirius were battling it out, but in her opinion, playing it safe. Their movements weren't nearly quick enough for it to make a difference if someone had truly wanted to hurt them. She groaned and threaded her fingers through her hair, looking to the floor.

A hand gently squeezed her shoulder. "They're getting better. We all have over the past several weeks," Remus said.

She looked up and let her hands rest on her hips. "It's not enough." Hearing taunts yelled across the mat, she turned back to see the progress of the duel.

The boys were pretty evenly matched, but she could spot little places here and there where they could improve, so she decided to shout out instructions from the sideline. After another minute of no clear winner though, her irritation mounted.

Waiting for the precise moment when James lowered his shield to fire on Sirius, Ava hissed out, "_Incarcerous_," binding James in ropes.

Remus looked at Ava in disbelief before releasing James.

She could feel the worry and confusion coming through his end of the bond since he couldn't understand why she seemed so on edge. _None of them do_, _not really,_ she thought morosely.

Sirius stormed up to her. "I nearly had him! You shouldn't have interfered!"

She scoffed. "You didn't 'nearly have him'! You both were just pussy-footing around each other, not going in for the kill."

"We're not trying to hurt each other here, Ava," Remus said in a hard voice.

"You know what I mean," she snapped, waving her hand dismissively. "Besides, you can't always expect the fight to be even-sided. You think every opponent you face will be up front about the fact that they're about to attack you?"

"If Peter were here, we'd have an odd number," James mumbled. "We could do three on two and practice small skirmishes."

Ava had to admit that it was a good idea, but she didn't think they were ready. "I'm not sure if you guys are advanced enough yet for small group attacks."

Sirius practically sneered as he said, "Maybe we would be if Peter had been coming to these practices all along."

She scoffed. "Not likely." She didn't know if it was how irksome her friends were being, but the pounding in her head was returning. She supposed that it could be her tolerance level being too high for pain potions because she had actually drank the whole vial even though Severus told her to only take half, and the potion shouldn't be wearing off for another couple of hours.

Ever the peacekeeper, Remus calmly said, "Why don't we just invite Peter next time?"

James and Sirius made noises of agreement, causing her to frown. "Do I get any say in this?" she asked through a clenched jaw.

All three of the wizards started speaking at once, only to raise their voices to be heard over each other.

"Enough!" she yelled. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Look, I've a got a raging headache and a lot of other shit to worry about right now, so can we please just table this topic for now and keep practicing?"

Her stomach squirmed when the boys shared a look with each other without saying a word. After just a few moments, they turned their gazes back to her.

James spoke first. "I don't think you're being fair to Peter. I don't know why you don't like him, but I don't care. You should at least give him a chance, and until you invite him, I won't be practicing with you any more."

Her mouth hung open as her eyes darted between James's back and the other two as he turned to leave.

"I'm with Prongs on this, Ava," Sirius said in a tired voice before retreating to the door with James.

Her brow furrowed as she glanced to Remus, worry settling in her gut at the expression on his face.

With a frown, he stepped forward and pecked a kiss to her forehead. "You're my mate, but Peter's part of my pack too. Moony and I both need you to accept him."

She began to protest, but Remus put a finger on her lips to silence her.

"Just think about it, okay? We've only got two days before we leave for break, and maybe you'll need to warm up to Peter over the next couple of weeks, but think about it? For us?" He searched her eyes, as if looking for the reason she was so reluctant to be around Peter.

She nodded, feeling her eyes begin to sting. She pulled away from Remus and faced the back of the Room, not wanting him to see her cry. "I'm going to stay and practice for a bit," she whispered, knowing his sensitive ears would pick it up. She took a deep breath and focused her mind, clearing away her tumultuous feelings and resurrecting thick pines to surround them.

Feeling the heat of Remus's body leave her, she knew he was headed towards the door. She took another breath. _Focus_, she told herself. _Just calm down. It's fine. You guys just had an argument and you'll be fine. This is just one more thing to work through._

The door to the Room clicked shut. The landscape in her mind flickered and the tears in her eyes poured over. Ava knew it was ridiculous, but she couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by Remus. She understood that he was sticking up for his friend and acting in solidarity with James and Sirius, but a part of her wished that Remus would've sided with her. _He's my mate. He's supposed to have my back._

The problem was that Ava _knew_ she was being unfair to Peter. She needed to give him a chance just like she was doing with Severus, Regulus, and Barty. Hell, she was even willing to throw Rabastan and Malfoy a bone. There was just something about Peter that rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was because he turned on his best friends in the original time line. Or maybe it was that she knew what to expect of the Slytherins around her, but Peter seemed so innocent that she worried she wouldn't see his betrayal coming. But either way, she couldn't go on acting the way she was.

The forest in her mind flickered again, and she recalled what Phineas had said to her earlier that week. _I can't bury my emotions._ She let the picturesque mountains fade out of existence in her mind, sending all the emotional turmoil that had been held at bay crashing through her.

She let out a frustrated scream as she drew her wand. "I hate this!" She whipped towards the nearest target dummy. "_Bombarda_!"

The human shaped target flew back and hit the wall, fluff exploding on contact.

"_Incendio_!" she yelled at the next dummy, tears streaming down her face. "Why is it all on _me_?!"

"_Glacius_!" Ice covered the following target and then she cast _Bombarda Maxima_, shattering it into a million pieces.

Through her sobs, she continued to pelt the targets with every explosive or destructive spell that came to mind, and her anger grew as the dummies would magically fix themselves and line up once again to be blasted away. "_Sectumsempra_!" she screamed, throat dry from yelling.

A few minutes later, the targets finally stayed on the ground and she collapsed to the floor, crying out the rest of her frustration, anxiety, and the bitter feeling of hopelessness. After she was able to catch her breath, she took out the small piece of parchment she had been keeping on her person since the beginning of the week. It was about the size of a sticky note, with Severus and Regulus having possession of a matching one. "_Please come to the Room_," she sent, adding Severus's name to the charm to ensure that he would receive it.

Professor Flitwick had worked with her to create the charm, which allowed for messages to appear on the other person's note instantaneously when the spell was cast with the name of the recipient. Ava had convinced the professor that the spell was for them to discuss study group meet-up times and they needed something faster than owling. While partially true, it wasn't the complete truth, but the wizard's curiosity and enthusiasm may have blinded him a bit in helping her complete the personal project.

Soon enough, Severus came through the door and approached where she sat on the dueling mat. After peering around the room, he raised a brow. "Feel better?"

Ava scanned the area and took in the destruction she had created. She chuckled. "Yeah, I do, actually."

The target dummies reformed and the Room began to right itself.

Her lips parted in surprise and she looked to Severus before gazing around the entire room, as if looking for a camera. "Thank you," she shouted with a laugh. At Severus's questioning face, she explained, "The Room, or Hogwarts, I guess, somehow knew I needed to take out more than just a handful of targets. But then it stopped putting the dummies back together after a while." She looked around in amazement. "The magic must've felt when my emotions were calming down."

She launched into an explanation of what happened with the boys after he had left with Regulus, but found herself not getting all worked up again. It seemed that venting her emotions through spellwork was rather handy at clearing her mind. She knew Remus, James, and Sirius were right. She had to give Peter a chance and if there was any hope of him not turning against them, it would only work if she tried.

Severus seemed hesitant as he asked, "Why are you so put off by Pettigrew?"

Her face must've shown her sadness and worry.

"What's he supposed to do?" he demanded.

She swallowed. "Before I tell you anything, you have to promise me that you won't do anything to him. We need to keep the time line as close to the original as possible so that it doesn't change too much. Otherwise, what I know is useless."

"I promise."

"In the original time line, the Potters use a Secret Keeper as a part of their protection from Voldemort once he finds out about the prophecy."

He nodded. "You were worried when Black had mentioned that Lily and Potter could use a Secret Keeper."

"Yeah, well, they used Sirius at first, but then thought that maybe it was too obvious because everyone knows how close he is to James, so they switched." She didn't need to connect the dots for him to figure out the rest.

"But Pettigrew isn't a Death Eater. He hasn't been to any of the meetings and no one has ever mentioned him." Severus began to pace.

"I don't know when he's supposed to become one, but I think it's kept a secret between Peter and Voldemort. Otherwise, you would've known about it."

He stopped and frowned. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "Well, in the original time line, everyone, even you, being a Death Eater and all, thought that it was Sirius who turned on Lily and James."

Severus whirled on the targets and flung deadly spells, one after another, until the dummies were in pieces on the ground. But of course, the Room hadn't allowed him just one round with the targets. However, Ava noticed that it hadn't lasted as long as her magical temper tantrum had.

Her friend stood with his arms hanging at his sides, panting.

"Feel better?" she asked with a wide grin.

His head snapped to hers and he stared for a moment before tossing his head back and letting out a deep laugh.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So this chapter might not have been any faster, but it's certainly longer! Hope you enjoy it :D
> 
> Thank you to everyone for the kudos and comments, each one makes me smile! :)
> 
> Review shout-out: Kimberly and fiddler163! Thank you :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 42**

Exams had lasted nearly all day for Remus, and he was beyond ready to see his mate. Especially because he hadn't seen Ava since the night before. She had sent him an owl early that morning to let him know she'd be eating breakfast and lunch in the Kitchens, away from everyone so she could study in a more peaceful environment than the Great Hall. But he felt that it had more to do with her avoiding him, as well as James and Sirius.

Moony whined in the back of his mind for the hundredth time, full of desperation. His wolf had been restless since the moment he'd left the Room of Requirement, calling out for Remus to return to their mate's side. While the wizard could feel the anger and sadness pulsing though their bond, he resisted the compulsion to run back to Ava in an attempt to soothe her because _he_ was part of the reason she was so upset. Her feelings were so potent that he wasn't sure she would actually want to see him in that moment.

Over the last month, since the completion of their bond, Remus had discovered that if he concentrated on Ava and their connection, he could feel her emotions even if they weren't physically near each other. Reaching out to her now, he could sense contentment and curiosity, bringing a soft smile to his face. _She's probably in the library_, he thought. After using the map to confirm, he headed in that direction, determined to speak with her since tomorrow he would be boarding the train for London with all of the other students returning home for the holidays.

He'd written to his mother a couple of times, mentioning that he had a girlfriend, which of course, she gushed over. Completely embarrassing him even though it was only through letters that no one else had read, other than possibly his father. Remus, as well as his mother, were both disappointed that Ava wasn't going to be traveling with him to King's Cross Station, since she'd be unable to meet his parents, but he understood that she wanted to spend time with her aunt.

He frowned to himself as he approached the library. He knew that Professor McGonagall wasn't actually Ava's aunt, but it seemed that his mate and the older witch had formed a familial bond nonetheless. _I wonder if they've formally sealed the bond._ That would make Ava a true McGonagall, in both the eyes of magic and the Wizarding legal system.

His mother had suggested speaking with Ava about visiting their home over the break to make introductions, but Remus wasn't sure how well that would go over, considering his father's way of thinking. While both of his parents tried their best to show their love for him, his mother struggled with her fear of the monster he turned into each month and his father had been vocal about the chance of contaminating his future children ever since he developed his first crush.

Knowing Ava as he did, she wouldn't take any negative views about werewolves very well. Remus could foresee the fact that he and Ava were mates being a point of contention as well. He wasn't even sure his parents believed in that kind of magic since they thought of him as a monster. He could see his father now—"What kind of dark creature would be deserving of a lifelong partner?"

Moony interjected, _NOT a monster._

_No, you're right_, Remus told his wolf with a resigned sigh. Ava's care and stubbornness had helped him become more accepting of himself and his ability to have a romantic life. Not to mention, now that Ava transformed into a wolf alongside him during the full moon, he couldn't even imagine looking at her any differently just because of that. She was the furthest thing from a monster.

Entering the library, he walked through the stacks, immediately heading towards her usual study table. Even though Ava's belongings were present, the witch herself was not, but Snape and Sirius's younger brother were.

The two Slytherins glanced at him before sharing an unreadable look.

He crept to the table and hesitantly asked, "Do you know where Ava is?"

Snape sneered before pinning Remus with his dark eyes. "And why would I tell you, if I happen to know where she is?" He scoffed. "As if you truly cared."

Snape sounded genuinely upset with him, and Regulus seemed to give his friend a warning look.

_What did I do to piss him off?_ he questioned internally.

Snape must've seen the confusion on his face because the wizard sighed before muttering, "You left her in a rather emotional state last night, Lupin."

His stomach dropped, realizing that his mate felt more comfortable calling on her friend than him for comfort. Moony snarled at the idea of another male being so close with Ava, but Remus's logic prevailed, knowing that she was merely friends with Snape. _Maybe he knows what's going on with her,_ he told his wolf.

He stepped closer to the table and lowered his voice. "I could feel how upset she was, but I didn't think she'd want to see me." He clenched his fists and released a deep breath. "Do you think that was a mistake? Should I have gone back to her?" His green eyes flickered between the wizards, hopeful for some insight.

Snape's harsh demeanor faltered at his questioning, and both Slytherins' mouths popped open in surprise as Remus took a seat. "Is she okay?" he asked.

Regulus cleared his throat. "I think that as long as you treat Ava with the respect and dignity a witch of her caliber deserves, then you should have no problems maintaining your relationship with her."

It appeared that Snape too was amused by the younger student's posh, Pureblood gentleman act as the corners of his mouth twitched.

But Remus stifled his chuckle and shook his head vehemently, wanting the wizards to take him seriously. "I would _never_ treat my ma—Ava with disrespect."

"Ava isn't like most other witches though," Snape said under his breath. His gaze locked on Remus. "I admit, she might not have been happy to see you again after you left." He fidgeted in his seat, seeming uncomfortable with the topic of their conversation being his best friend.

"But she's okay though?" Remus asked again.

"No," the Slytherin snapped at him. "I doubt she'll be _okay_ until all of this is over. She's bearing the brunt of multiple responsibilities that are an enormous undertaking, and she'll be needing you even more so after the holidays."

Confusion flooded Remus as the palpable anger in Snape's tone washed over him. The werewolf opened his mouth to ask what exactly the wizard meant by his words, but he was distracted when his nose and ears picked up on Ava's presence. He turned in her direction as she emerged from a bookshelf and caught the look of surprise flash across her face upon seeing him sitting at the study table.

A smile slowly started to form on her face but she shook herself, continuing on her path. She placed down the textbook in her hands and gently tugged on his robe, pulling him out of the chair. "I'll be just a minute, guys," she told Snape and Regulus.

Grabbing his hand, Ava dragged Remus to a more private location within the dimly lit bookshelves before extracting her fingers from his and facing him with crossed arms and an expectant look on her face. "Well?"

"You've been dodging me all day."

Her eyes darted to the floor and back as she shifted on her feet. "No, I haven't. I've been busy studying."

He closed the distance between them. "You might be studying, but you've also been avoiding me."

Her brows furrowed and she opened her mouth to speak, but he continued.

"It's alright. I understand if you need space sometimes, but just let me know instead of pretending with me, okay?"

Guilt rushed across their bond, followed by appreciation and love. She ducked her head with a quick apology, and peered back up at him with a sheepish expression.

Remus wrapped his arms around his mate and kissed the top of her head. "Just don't do it again."

"I won't," she said, slowly returning his embrace.

He steeled himself and then blurted, "I still want you to at least give Peter a chance."

She tensed in his arms and was silent for a long moment. His connection with Ava seemed to fade before she nodded, but then it returned to normal.

"I'm sorry for leaving you the way I did, but with how much anger I could feel traveling through the bond, I didn't think you'd want me to come back."

"I wasn't angry with you, Remus. Just the situation." She frowned and mumbled to herself, "I should've made sure you couldn't feel all that though."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

She schooled her features, but not fast enough to mask the guilt that danced across her face.

"Ava," he warned in a low voice.

Letting out a huff of annoyance, she pinched the bridge of her nose, nearly causing him to shudder from how reminiscent of Snape the gesture was. "I've been studying Occlumency," she whispered. "And I can seal off my end of the bond, or at least I'm assuming I can from my skill level."

Moony bristled at the idea, but Remus's academic curiosity won out. "That's an incredibly interesting and difficult branch of magic, Ava. How far along are you in your studies?"

She leaned into him with a smile. "You're such a nerd," she teased.

He could feel his cheeks warm, but he knew his mate felt the same way about magic. "Is it weird that I'm curious to see what it feels like if you close it off?"

"No," she said without hesitation. "I'm curious myself." She pressed her lips together with furrowed brows. "I doubt it'll be pleasant though. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you can always open it back up, right?"

"Of course," she insisted in a loud voice. She cringed at her own volume in the quiet library. "Of course I can. I wouldn't suggest it otherwise," she whispered. "Ready?"

He nodded and then watched Ava closely, wanting to see how Occlumency would appear to an outside observer. It wasn't the most intriguing process. She simply closed her eyes and several moments later he felt something deep within his chest snap.

He gasped at the sharp pain and the sudden, overwhelming sense of loss. "Ava," he whispered in a plea, fingers wrapping tight around her shoulders. "Open the bond, please." Not a moment later, his chest warmed with the tingle of magic and he felt whole once again.

Ava's eyes shot open and she proceeded to fuss over him, hands roving all over, as if looking for injuries. "Are you okay? What's wrong? I'm so sorry, Remus."

He shook his head as he rubbed the center of his chest. "It's alright. I asked you to. What did that feel like for you?"

A look of sadness settled on her face. "I could feel that I was missing something. There was an echo of loneliness." She shivered. "I don't want to feel that ever again. I knew I was disconnected from something, but I almost didn't care." She leaned into him, resting her cheek against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "It sounds like it was worse for me. Please never close our bond again," he whispered as he nuzzled her hair.

"Never."

After relishing in each other's embrace for another few moments, Remus softly grasped Ava's cheeks and tilted her head back, locking his lips over hers. Their magic sizzled as it raced across where their bodies were touching and it felt like he was falling in love with her all over again. She was so open and responsive to him, and the care and adoration that oozed from her side of the bond made him shudder from the control required to not worship her body right then and there.

Feeling her pull away, he loosened his grip and slowed his kisses.

"There's something I want to finish researching," she said with her lips still lingering a breath away.

He groaned. "Exams are all done. What else have you got to do?"

She giggled with amusement sparking in her eyes. She trailed a finger down his chest and said, "Someone's impatient to get me all alone and naked, spread out for him."

He growled and latched onto her lips once again, punishing her mouth with the frustration he felt at the library not being conducive for sex. He felt Moony rise to the surface and welcomed him, knowing that Ava didn't mind when his wolfish side made an appearance. If anything, she liked it.

With another low growl, he bit down on her bottom lip and cupped her ass, lifting her from the floor and pinning her against the bookshelf. With her legs wrapped around him, Remus rubbed his hardened cock against her clothed center. "See what you do to me, mate?"

She whimpered with need, but he steadied himself.

"You have until dinner to finish up your extra curricular research. Then I want dessert. In the Room. With you." With each punctuation of his command, he continued to work his mate into a hot state of arousal, nipping her shoulder, squeezing her ass, and trailing his tongue over his mark.

He pulled away from Ava and a burst of masculine pride coursed through him at the sight of her flushed skin, swollen lips, and eyes heated with desire. She was still in a haze when he demanded, "You'll go with me to the Room of Requirement after dinner, mate, and we'll finish this."

She nodded distractedly, and began to lean towards him again, tilting her head back, but Remus held her at arm's-length. "Now, now, you've got research to get back to, remember?" He allowed her body to slide down his, setting her feet back on the floor.

Her eyes were clear and focused once more as she fixed a pout on her face.

He let out a deep chuckle. "Don't be so _impatient_, mate." He kissed Ava's forehead before leaving her amidst the stacks all hot and bothered.

* * *

Flurries of snow gently drifted through the air as students gathered around carriages that would take them to the Hogwarts Express, waiting for the return to London. Ava peered at the front of the carriage closest to her, but obviously couldn't see the Thestrals that powered the seemingly horseless transportation. A poke to the ribs drew her attention back to the first-year attempting to say goodbye.

She looked down at Benedict with a smile. "I'm gonna miss you, little snake."

He nearly plowed her over with the force of his hug. "I'll miss you too, Ava."

"It's only a couple of weeks," she murmured before pecking a kiss to the top of his head. Releasing Benedict, she moved down the line of Slytherins and flashed Barty a friendly grin. "Is this okay?" she whispered, slowly raising her arms.

He nodded with the hint of a smile and stepped towards her, giving her a quick hug.

_That-a-boy_, she thought, sending him a proud look. From the increasing hustle and bustle around them, Ava assumed they needed to hurry, so she quickly turned to Regulus and threw her arms around him. "I'll see you soon. Stay safe."

He squeezed her back. "You too," he said before pulling away.

Absentmindedly assuming the line of her Slytherin friends continued, Ava didn't hesitate to wrap the next person up in a hug. It slowly dawned on her who exactly she was affectionately squeezing because of how tense his body was. _Oh shit_, she thought, starting to pull away. But his body seemed to sag and arms cautiously embraced her without applying much pressure before strong hands gripped her shoulders, holding her at a safer distance.

"Please never do that again unless it's a life or death situation, McGonagall," Rabastan told her in a firm tone, but she could see the confusion towards her affection swimming in his eyes.

"You got it," she muttered, feeling her face flame in embarrassment. _Jesus Christ, Ava. Pay attention!_ How was she supposed to get through a party full of people if she couldn't even keep her mind level enough to not accidentally manhandle an unsuspecting wizard?

Looking at the others didn't abate the awkward situation since Barty and Regulus looked torn between laughing and concerned that Rabastan might retaliate for the unwelcomed attack on his person.

"You're lucky," Benedict told Rabastan, ignoring the tension in the air. "Ava gives the best hugs." The younger Slytherin gave her another brief squeeze before running off to join his other first-year friends.

Barty stepped closer to her with his cheeks reddening as he asked, "Would you mind if I owled you over break?"

"Of course not! I'd really like that." She was glad that he was finally coming out of his shell, and besides the fact that she truly didn't mind, there was no way she's jeopardize their friendship. _Anything to keep him from the Death Eaters._

Regulus appeared to be containing his laughter at Barty's shyness while he said, "I'll be owling you as well."

"I'm sorry to say, but I will _not_ be owling you," Rabastan dryly commented.

Regulus lost his composure, causing a giggle to burst from Ava. Even Barty cracked a grin before he too left to board a carriage.

"I see that many people take delight in your company, Miss McGonagall," a smooth voice drawled.

She rolled her eyes to the boys before turning to face Malfoy. Regulus and Severus, who had been patiently waiting, bristled at the blonde's presence but Rabastan looked the most nonchalant she had ever seen him. "Have you come for your goodbye hug as well?" she asked, hearing noises of laughter and disbelief from behind her.

Unexpectedly, his resulting chuckle sounded genuine and his patented, arrogant sneer didn't make an appearance. "No, that's not what I'm here for. I find myself looking forward to seeing you at our New Year's Eve Ball, but perhaps you'd like to join myself and some others for tea one afternoon?"

Ava opened her mouth, intent on turning his offer down, but he continued.

"I have several business proposals I'm working on and I would find your…expertise most helpful." At her hesitation, his eyes narrowed threateningly.

She gave him a polite smile. "That would be lovely, Lucius." _Goddamn it. Couldn't he have just asked me about that _here_? I'll need to find out who else will be there._ While Malfoy had taken an Oath, she couldn't help but be worried that he somehow found a loophole.

His gray eyes seemed to gleam with the knowledge that she couldn't turn down the invitation for tea.

_Oh yeah, asshole?_ Before the wizard could step away, she let out a tsk. "Don't you think these pleasant young men would enjoy our company for an afternoon as well?" she asked, gesturing to Severus and Regulus. "It'd be a shame if the Head of House Black found out that his heir was passed over for a mere Half-blood."

Lucius's lips thinned, but he nodded with a tight smile. "Very well, the four of you should expect owls with the details soon." He turned and strutted over to a blonde girl, who Ava now realized was Narcissa Black.

"Thanks for that, Ava. I do so enjoy taking tea with Malfoy," Severus commented sarcastically once the wizard was out of earshot.

She rolled her eyes with a huff. "What else was I supposed to do? You want me going alone?"

"No," he and Regulus both said quickly.

Rabastan's calculating eyes were glancing between herself and the boys. "Is there a particular reason you felt the need for their presence? Or mine?"

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this," she said with a frown.

His dark eyebrows raised. "Oh, no. I'm looking forward to the experience. Not many Half-bloods have willingly stepped foot into Malfoy Manor over the centuries. Usually, it's under duress with an interrogation or confinement to shortly follow."

Her lips parted in surprise before she let out a quick laugh of shock. "Thank you, Rabastan. That makes me feel _so_ much better."

He gave her a wide grin, eyes full of mischief as he crossed his arms. "You're welcome."

She shook her head with mirth and was unable to stop herself from giving him a playful shove. The tension rolling off the other Slytherins caused her gaze to dart to Rabastan's, thinking she had crossed a line of some sort.

Once again, his features were schooled as his body stood frozen, but she couldn't ignore the confusion and uncertainty in his eyes. "Rabastan?" she called softly. "I'm sorry if my behavior made you uncomfortable."

His brows furrowed as his eyes scanned her face.

With a grimace she said, "Apparently, I can be a bit too touchy-feely with my Slytherin friends, so I'm sorry."

His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Friends?" he asked under his breath. If he had spoken any quieter, she would've missed it. He glanced at Severus and Regulus over her shoulder. "Friends?" he repeated, a little louder, but with incredulity still lacing his tone. His gaze dropped back to her, eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

Ava clenched her fists and breathed sharply through her nose. "What _is_ it with you Slytherins, huh?" She whipped around to glare at Severus and Regulus before turning back to Rabastan. She poked him in the chest. "I have friends because I _like_ a person, not because I _need_ something from them," she hissed.

The other boys had sidled up to her, blocking out the other students saying goodbye. "Ava, you need to lower your voice," Regulus told her calmly as she heard Severus mutter, "_Muffliato_."

She seethed, taking comfort in the fact that Severus had cast a privacy spell. She just needed to keep her body language low-key. She smiled through clenched teeth. "Look, Rabastan. You can talk with these two, or at least Regulus while on the train, about me if you want. I understand that it's highly unusual for a Gryffindor to befriend a Slytherin, but I don't prematurely judge people by what House they were sorted into. I choose my friends based on their actions and words."

She shuffled on her feet while glancing to the ground. "If you don't want my friendship, that's fine, but at least keep these two close, yeah?"

He nodded, eyes scanning her face as if he was trying to discern the truth.

"Have a good break. I'm sure I'll see you at Malfoy Manor before long," she said before pivoting to give Regulus one more quick hug.

Severus stayed behind with his fellow Slytherins to give his goodbyes as Ava headed towards the Gryffindors congregating a good distance from where she had been standing. She took a deep breath to calm her ire, tired of her motives being called into question once again. She gave a wave to the larger group of seventh-year Gryffindors, but singled out Lily for a hug.

"I can't wait to see you over break at the Potters'," she told the redhead. "I'm in desperate need of some girl time."

Lily chuckled. "Just let me know when and where." She stepped away to chat with the other girls and Ava turned towards the Marauders.

She took another deep breath and cleared her mind, calming her nerves. "Have a great break, Peter. I'm sure I'll see you at James's."

He shot her a friendly smile, and resumed his conversation with Remus while she approached James and Sirius.

As she wrapped her arms around James, he whispered, "Watch your back with Snape. I know the git hasn't done anything yet, but you never know."

With a roll of her eyes, she pulled back. "Don't you think if Severus wanted to hurt me somehow, he would've done it already? We've been alone loads of times and he's never done anything. You need to accept that he isn't evil just because he used to be Lily's friend, James."

His lips were pressed together, but he seemed contemplative, his eyes searching hers and flicking over her shoulder, probably spotting Severus, who she knew was waiting for her.

She stepped away from James and spun to launch herself at Sirius, squeezing him tightly.

"Blimey, witch! Let up, would you? You're crushing my bones." He lowered his voice. "I'll miss you too." He grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm's length. "It's only for a week and then you'll be with us."

Ava could feel her eyes stinging and tears starting to form. She knew it was silly to be upset over such a short separation, but the majority of her friends were leaving Hogwarts for the first time since she arrived. Of course, she'll be with Aunt Minerva and Severus, but it wouldn't be quite the same, especially with her soulmate leaving.

Sirius's eyes widened when he noticed the moisture gathering in her eyes. "Uh, oh. Moony!" he yelled, directing her by the shoulders towards Remus.

She gave a watery chuckle at his dramatics and continued to smile up into her mate's face.

Remus cupped her cheeks and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. He smirked right before a monsoon of love and respect flooded through their bond.

She gasped from the impact as her magic reached out to greet his.

He leaned down and captured the noise with his lips, kissing her thoroughly.

She clung to him, her tongue and lips returning the gesture with fervor. Wolf-whistles and giggles brought her back to reality, and she slowly pulled away and tucked her head to his chest. Ava inhaled deeply, committing his scent to memory, hoping it would hold her over until Christmas night when she'd be heading to Potter Manor for dinner.

"Time will fly, and we'll be together before you know it," Remus reassured her. "We can owl every day, several times a day if you want."

She smiled. "I'll be sure to use different birds then. I'd feel bad tiring them out like that." She stood on her tiptoes, pecking one last kiss to his lips before backing away slowly.

The group of Gryffindors returned her wave and shouts of farewells as they loaded onto the carriages, and she felt Severus approach. She ignored the silent tears running down her face. _It's not that big of a deal, Ava. You'll see them soon enough._

Her eyes trailed along with the carriage that the Marauders had climbed into, and when it was nothing more than a distant blur, Ava finally wiped her eyes with a sniffle.

Severus let out a put upon sigh, but wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

She startled, knowing that he loathed displaying any sort of affection publicly, but after glancing around them, she saw that any other students who were staying at Hogwarts over break had all returned inside, probably to warm up again.

"Don't be so alarmed," he said dryly. "You're incessant crying was aggravating my senses."

She beamed at him as he turned her towards the warm castle and nudged her along. "I'm sorry, Severus. I'll strive to be less emotional in the future."

The corners of his mouth twitched. "See that you do."

Once the pair was back inside, he withdrew his arm and looked her over before whispering, "Are you alright?"

After a nod from her, he asked, "What do you want to do? I've got—"

Before he could even finish, Ava jolted with excitement and begged, "Please, please, please, can we try out a couple new spells?"

With a raised brow, he shrugged her hand off him and said, "Get a hold of yourself, witch."

"Severus," she returned in a low, warning tone.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course, we can test out some spells."

"Yes!" she shouted with a fist pump, her words echoing throughout the Entrance Hall.

His lips were pressed together in the way they were whenever Severus was attempting not to laugh. "You are an absolute heathen." He pivoted on his heel and strode towards the staircase, robe billowing behind him.

She smiled at the intimidating image he struck and for the thousandth time marveled at the fact that Severus Snape was her best friend.

"Come along, McGonagall," he called out in what she had deemed his professor voice.

She shook out her thoughts and dashed up the stairs.

Once at his side, Severus muttered, "I thought you had found someone to teach you proper manners and etiquette."

She snorted. "I did, but I can still choose when to act like a snobbish robot, thank you very much."

He glanced down at her with a quirked brow as they climbed the staircase. "Indeed."

Her resounding laughter managed to garner a smile from him.

On their way to the Room of Requirement, the new normal of the castle sunk in. Ava thought it was eerie how empty and quiet the halls were, especially since it was a Saturday and usually there were students milling about everywhere. They had only passed a handful of other students and professors, making Ava realize that compared to the current state of things, the school had been practically bursting with life. The wide corridors seemed to stretch on forever with no one to jostle her around, and she found herself speeding up her steps. The sooner she was able to practice her magic, the sooner her absent friends and soulmate would once again be pushed to the back of her mind.

Having arrived at the Room of Requirement, Severus commanded that she cast several rounds of _Sectumsempra_ and _Vulnera Sanentur_ to prove that she had full control of the spells. After that, Ava introduced him to the Entrail-Expelling Curse. The grim look she received in return after he saw the effects on the dummy reminded her that though these targets were repairable, the people they were preparing to use these spells against were not.

She grimaced but doused that line of thinking with the recollection of what could potentially happen if the Death Eaters weren't taken seriously for the threat they posed. It was only a matter of time before their activities and political moves picked up the pace and people began to be targeted for standing against Voldemort.

"Have you shared your knowledge of this spell with anyone else?" Severus asked.

"God, no!" she exclaimed with a huff of laughter. "Could you imagine the look on the boys' faces if I showed them that this was one of the spells I picked up from the Restricted Section?" She scoffed. Even Ava could hear the bitterness that tinged her tone as she said, "They couldn't even stomach a spell that would allow us to share our magic. And it wasn't even dark!"

Severus sighed and stared at her for a long moment. "It pains me to say this, but have you looked at it from their perspective?"

Her mouth fell open.

"Have you told them how cruel and ruthless the Death Eaters are supposed to become over the next couple of years? Regulus and I have more insight because of attending meetings and being privy to the true nature of our peers, but your Gryffindor friends wouldn't know anything of the sort."

She frowned and chewed over his words. "I mean, I guess that James and Remus wouldn't know really, but Sirius should. And he does. I know he does."

He stepped closer. "No offense, Ava, but Gryffindors can be rather naive at times."

She gave a huff of frustration and flung out her arms. "Well, what am I supposed to do, Severus? If I tell them too much or the wrong detail that gets them all riled up, I'm sure they'll keep pushing Dumbledore until they're inducted into the Order, and I want them as far away from this as possible."

He gently grasped her shoulder. "Maybe you can't control that."

Tears sprung to her eyes. He looked thoughtful, prompting her to ask, "What are you thinking about?"

"How involved were Lily, Lupin, and the rest in the original time line?"

She wiped her eyes. "They were in the Order, but it was after they had graduated, I'm sure. Why?"

"Have you considered it's possible that might change with your presence?"

"Me?" she asked with raised brows.

He nodded. "Yes, if they were supposed to be in the Order in the original time line, maybe your connection to Lupin is merely speeding up the time frame. Since they have a more personal connection to the events, they're more likely to be pulled into this whether you want them to be or not. It's possible that they'll participate in the Order no matter what you do, so perhaps you should just tell them the whole truth so they can at least understand why you're researching the particular spells that you are."

Ava stood frozen, mind whirling with the idea of her friends and mate being at the center of this war whether she liked it or not. She let out a deep breath. "I don't even know if that'll convince them. I don't remember the Order using gray spells a lot, and certainly not any considered dark. I understand the reluctance to use the Killing Curse because it can fracture your soul, but other spells that kill don't do that. I can't help but feel that I'll be an easier target if I stick to the spells _everyone_ learns in class."

Her gaze locked on his dark eyes. "I don't know if _anyone_ on the light side of the war would understand that I just want to have as many spells as possible in my arsenal if I come face to face with a Death Eater. Even Aunt Minerva, who gave me access to the Restricted Section, ducks out of a conversation if I bring up a spell deemed…" She widened her eyes and wiggled her fingers, deepening her voice. "_Forbidden_."

His smile seemed forced before it disappeared. "I don't know what to tell you, Ava, but you're going to drive yourself insane if you keep trying to control everyone and the entire situation. You can't keep Lupin, Black, and Potter, or anyone else for that matter, from joining the Order any more than I can keep you from doing the very same." He lowered his voice. "As much as I might want to."

She hugged him. "I know exactly how you feel, Severus."

He returned her embrace and rested a hand atop her hair, letting out a tired sigh.

"I don't want you or Regulus anywhere near the Death Eaters or Voldemort but it wouldn't be wise for you to try to step away now, and you're both in a position that gives us an advantage." She pulled away from him. "And I really appreciate the help you both are giving me. And the trust."

His expression tightened. "Yes, well, just make sure _you_ don't trust the wrong person. You need to be cautious of who you decide to reveal the truth to. I know you asked about Lucius before and now he thinks you're a Seer, but I don't know where his true allegiances lie."

She shrugged. "That's a concern for another day." She shook her head as if to dispel the mountain of worries that seemed to keep growing.

* * *

"Would you like to tell me about the spell your beloved Marauders wouldn't perform with you?" he asked, knowing it would cheer Ava up. He smiled when her face lit up like a child in Honeyduke's.

She quickly explained the theory and wand movements behind _Magicus Extremos,_ which would allow for their magic to be shared across the connection established once the spell was cast. While it wasn't mentioned in the text Ava read, she hypothesized based on her experience with Lupin that the connection between casters would be stronger if they made skin to skin contact.

Severus could mildly understand the Marauders' reluctance to attempt the spell since the consequences weren't fully described in the book Ava perused, but the spell theory was sound and the magical connection between casters should only be temporary. He wasn't concerned about the spell becoming permanent or anything of the sort since there were other spells specifically designed for those kinds of bonds, like the soulmate connection tethering Lupin and Ava together. Or what he suspected the Dark Lord used to mark his followers.

He shuddered. _I can't believe I nearly bound myself to that mad wizard._ It was one thing to attempt to achieve immortality, but another to purposefully split your soul and house it in an object. He had conducted his own research once Ava revealed the truth about the Horcruxes. To create such an object, there was a separate spell that needed to be performed other than just the Killing Curse. However, he found that simply using _Avada Kedavra_ could splinter your soul. It wouldn't fracture it to the same extent as moving a piece of your soul into a Horcrux, but it could still cause damage to the soul and magical core of the caster nonetheless.

He shook his head from his dark thoughts as Ava called his name, having shed her robe. She was currently rolling up the sleeves of her shirt and he recalled the spell before disrobing and doing the same.

It would have been awkward had they both needed to cast the spell simultaneously, since they were both right-handed, but Severus was merely required to maintain contact with Ava and repeat the incantation with her. Facing the line of target dummies at the back wall of the Room, he and Ava stood side by side, with their hands clasped and arms pressed together tightly.

"Ready?" she asked in an excited whisper.

He peered down at her. "What spell are we going to practice with after we've done _Magicus Extremos_?"

She shrugged, bumping his shoulder. "_Confringo_? That way we can really see the difference?"

He nodded, thinking along the same lines.

"Alright," she said with a smile. "I hope you've got your big boy pants on today."

He huffed out a laugh but quieted down as Ava raised her wand. Her movements were slow and precise and they voiced the incantation in unison.

A rush of magic shot from his hand, up his arm, spreading throughout his body. It was warm and sizzled along his nerves, but it didn't hurt. The power and magic were building up, beckoning him to use them. Tentatively reaching out, Severus could easily detect the connection between himself and Ava. "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah, it's totally different than what I feel with Remus."

He snorted. "I certainly hope so." Concentrating once more, he said, "I'm going to purposefully widen the connection and direct my magic across to you. Okay?" Severus closed his eyes and focused on releasing control over his magic and encouraging it to flow towards Ava. He felt her nod and immediately relinquished his hold on the magic.

"Oh, wow," she breathed out, fingers clenching against his. She shouted, "_Confringo_!" and the fiery blast jettisoned from the tip of her wand.

Peeking at the bright fire through squinted eyes, he could see the broader than usual flame ignite the target immediately, but then jump to the other dummies, as if it had a mind of its own. His jaw dropped, having never before seen a spell work like that.

He and Ava stood there for several moments in silence, other than the crackling fire destroying the practice targets.

"Well, that was different," she muttered.

He looked to her with a raised brow. "You don't say?"

"Why do you think it bounced around like that?"

"I have no idea," he murmured, eyes still fixed on the disintegrating targets. He glanced at Ava and flexed his fingers around hers. "There's only one way to find out."

The curious pair continued to practice _Magicus Extremos_, using _Confringo_, _Stupefy_, _Ventus_, and several other spells, coming to the conclusion that the increase in magic behind the spell must also be why the spell acted intuitively, attacking the other targets as well. Once they realized the magic functioned in that manner, they chose to test it out with _Expulso_.

For their first attempt, the explosion spell only affected the single dummy that Ava aimed the spell towards, and that was the only target they considered an enemy. For the second time, however, they both focused on the idea that every target was the enemy, and once again, the spell collided with the first dummy and then seemingly jumped, causing the targets to explode one after another. Each time, the spell reacted the way they wanted it to based on how they perceived their opponents.

Of course, their curiosity won out and they continued to practice with a couple of other spells to see if they could eradicate all of the targets simultaneously, which indeed they could. The only difference was in how they thought about the magic attacking the dummies.

It occurred to Severus that the spell would only be labeled as dark depending on the intent of the caster. He knew that magic wasn't divided into merely light and dark, and this experience further proved that. Someone could use _Magicus Extremos_ to heal multiple people at once, but it likely wouldn't be used in such a manner because the self-proclaimed "light" wizards and witches wouldn't bother to learn the useful spell.

He and Ava eventually stopped practicing once they began to feel woozy, and headed out of the Room, finding a nice alcove in a naturally lit corridor. Ava called on Flopsy and politely asked the house-elf to bring them some lunch, which they both scarfed down. He assumed it was because they had magically drained themselves practicing the spells, so he didn't comment on Ava's choice to request a second slice of chocolate cake.

Regardless of the castle being near empty, Severus cast _Muffliato_ as a precaution before asking, "Has Madame Pomfrey checked on your magical core recently?" He hadn't realized what a loaded question that would be.

Ava dove into the story of the full moon from last week, revealing that she transformed into a wolf during the full moon now that her bond with Lupin had been completed. She reassured him that it was a good thing because now her werewolf could keep his mind while in wolf form and was less dangerous, but another upside was that the healer looked over her magical core closely and it appeared to have healed and was at full strength as of a week ago.

A deep frown overcame her face and her eyes darted away from him.

He straightened in his seat. "What's wrong?"

"Are you—are you okay with that?"

His brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before he realized that Ava must be worried about what he would think of her now that she turned into a wolf, essentially making her a werewolf like Lupin. He reached out to squeeze her hand. "You're truly my best friend, Ava, and nothing will ever change that."

Tears gathered in her eyes.

_Foolish boy! Now look what you've done. You've made her cry with your ridiculous declaration._ "I didn't mean to upset you," he said gruffly, shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

"No, you're fine. It's okay." She quickly wiped away the drops that had escaped and were rolling down her cheeks.

He cleared his throat. "So, where are you at with your classes? I know you had your third-year exam for Potions, which you obviously passed. Is there anything in particular that you might need assistance with over the break?"

Ava smiled at his offer and he held back an eye roll. Of course he was willing to help her as much as possible, he cared for the Gryffindor witch despite all the reasons that would usually deter him. He hadn't realized how much he missed the close companionship of someone other than Regulus until Ava had come along and planted herself at his side, settling deep roots within his everyday life.

"I actually took the third-year exams for Astronomy and History of Magic too." Pink tinted her cheeks as she added, "And I tested out of sixth-year Charms."

He raised an impressed brow.

She ducked her head in what he surmised was embarrassment. "I know it's really fast, but there's something about Charms that just clicks for me."

"I understand. I'm the same way with Potions. Who am I to judge you for your abilities and intellect, Ava?"

She peeked up at him and then let out a breath. "Yeah, I suppose. I didn't know if it was weird that I'm so good in one subject but just okay in the others, and not to mention, I'm trying not draw any more attention to myself."

He could completely understand why she'd want to keep her magical prowess a secret, especially with her knowledge. _The Dark Lord does like to collect unique and talented individuals, even Half-bloods_, he thought, considering his own position with the powerful wizard.

His head tilted as he considered Ava. "Even in Muggle education, aren't there students that excel in certain areas?"

Her brows furrowed for a brief moment before her entire body relaxed. "Yeah, you're right."

A throat cleared, drawing their attention to a painting of the African savanna on the castle wall. There appeared to be a wizard wanting to speak with them, so Severus dropped the privacy spell.

"Phineas!" Ava exclaimed with a smile.

He looked at his friend in surprise. _She's on a first-name basis with a portrait?_

"Miss McGonagall," the wizard intoned formally.

Ava's eyebrows rose before a blank look overcame her face. "Excuse me, Headmaster Black, may I introduce you to Severus Snape, potions extraordinaire and my best friend? And Severus, this is Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, a fellow Slytherin and dedicated teacher of Pureblood customs." She beamed, looking back and forth between himself and the portrait, obviously pleased with herself.

"So you _can_ be house trained," Severus teased in a tone of superiority.

A bark of laughter sounded from the portrait. "Oh, I like him."

"Ha ha, very funny you two," Ava said, lightly pushing against his arm before she fixed a mock glare at the painting.

For the next few minutes, Headmaster Black interrogated Severus on everything from his classes to which bed he occupied in the Slytherin dorm. What was most curious for him was watching the interactions between Ava and the former Headmaster. The old wizard was notorious for his antiquated views of anyone other than Purebloods, but it seemed to not be entirely true.

He even had a difficult time maintaining an unaffected demeanor when the wizard declared that Severus should address him as "Phineas", especially since he was such a dear friend of Ava's. Once the wizard had vacated the painting, he turned to his best friend and asked if she realized how rare it was for that particular Headmaster to befriend a Half-blood, but she just shrugged it off with pink cheeks, so he let the subject drop.

* * *

The first few days of break seemed to fly by for Ava, and she nearly wished that time would slow down because she was enjoying her time with Severus. Since there were hardly any students who remained behind for the holidays, the House tables in the Great Hall were sparsely populated, and ever since the first dinner, Ava had been sitting with her friend.

At dinner the night all the other students had departed for London, Ava had at first taken her usual seat at the Gryffindor table out of habit, but then realized that she was entirely alone at her portion of the table. The only other Gryffindors occupying the space were a couple of younger students that sat at the opposite end. While she was acquainted with them, having shared classes briefly, she felt more comfortable sitting with her best friend rather than imposing upon some kids she barely knew.

She had glanced at the Slytherin table and noticed it was much the same for Severus. He was the only remaining seventh-year and the rest of the Slytherins were clustered around a section of the table at least twenty feet from the wizard.

They locked eyes and Severus raised a brow in question.

Ava waggled her eyebrows with a smile, causing him to roll his eyes in exasperation at her suggestion.

Nevertheless, he had inclined his head slightly, giving her the go ahead. Without hesitation, she stood and made her way over to the Slytherin table. Despite the fact that Severus was the only older student present at the table, Ava felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the thought of the usual occupants as she sat down.

She ignored the stares directed her way from the other students, as well as the staff members. She was pretty sure that a Gryffindor sitting at the Slytherin table hadn't happened in a very long time, if ever.

Leaning forward with a conspiratorial smile, she whispered, "Could you imagine if McNair, Avery, or Malfoy saw me right now? They'd probably shit themselves."

A startled laugh escaped before Severus could shut his mouth and he sent her a mock glare before collecting the rest of his meal onto a plate.

They had been able to eat that meal and the rest that followed without any flack from the remaining students, but Aunt Minerva had warned her later that evening to not get too comfortable because she doubted that Ava would be still be welcomed once classes resumed. _No shit_, she had thought to herself, barely containing an eye roll.

Besides indulging in the unusual seating arrangement, without the majority of the students and her friends being present, Ava had more time to devote towards learning magic. Their daily routine formed naturally, without needing to discuss it aloud. Severus worked on his own potions research while she studied aggressively since she had more free time and wanted to catch up to the seventh-year curriculum as quickly as possible. They would duel every day, at least once, and she continued to hone her Occlumency skills.

Other than tutoring her in Potions, Severus helped her progress through the Charms material that the seventh-years had already covered so that she could be placed into the seventh-year class by the time school resumed. Other than focusing on Charms and Potions, Severus worked with her on Defense Against the Dark Arts, and she would get some instructional time from Aunt Minerva here and there for Transfiguration as well.

Professor McGonagall told her to think about whether or not she'd like to take any electives starting after break, but while classes like Ancient Runes could be interesting, the N.E.W.T.S. weren't essential for most jobs, unless she wanted to be a specialist of some sort. And at the moment, Ava felt like planning for her career was another massive pile of stress that she didn't need to endure. If worse came to worst, she figured that she could always study and take her required N.E.W.T.S. retroactively, which according to Aunt Minerva, international witches and wizards did occasionally when applying for jobs within the British Wizarding World because the school tests weren't standardized world-wide.

Even though it had only been a few days, Ava and Remus had owled back and forth about a dozen times. While her soulmate was glad to be home and see his parents for a bit, he and Moony both missed her. Remus had mentioned the lack of her scent driving him and his wolf up the wall, so she wore a clean school shirt to bed one night and packaged it up for him the next morning to have it delivered. His follow-up letter had been quite enthusiastic and a little naughty, making her groan in frustration at their separation.

For the most part, McGonagall had been spending more time in their quarters while grading and writing lesson plans, allowing Ava to have more one on one time with her guardian. The night before, she had hesitantly asked the professor if the idea of officially adopting her had ever come up since Remus had asked about it in one of his letters.

The older witch was surprised, thinking that since Ava was truly an adult, having spent several years as one in her other world, she didn't need to be adopted. But her disappointment must've shown because not a moment later, McGonagall jumped at the offer and excitedly declared that she'd take care of it at once. The professor immediately set aside the essays she was grading in order to write the Ministry regarding the matter.

At the moment, Ava was busy wrapping Christmas presents in her quarters with Phineas for company. While she absentmindedly folded and taped the paper around the gifts, the wizard drilled her on scenarios and information that could be used to her advantage should she need it while attending the New Year's Eve Ball.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Phineas said, "I suggest that you use the afternoon tea invitation as a chance to learn the layout of the manor so that you'll be more prepared to locate the Horcrux during the Ball."

She groaned. "Don't remind me. I know Lucius only invited me so that he could have an excuse to pick my Seer brain. I've got to figure out what to tell him."

"No time like the present, young lady. What do you have in mind thus far?"

She launched into a rambling list of events that she thought might cause Lucius to second guess his relationship with Voldemort: the fact that he would be caught as a Death Eater after Voldemort vanished, the danger that his sole heir would be in and that he'd be unwillingly marked at sixteen, Lucius would spend time in Azkaban and how haggard he'd be afterwards, and the Malfoys would fall from grace as their involvement with Voldemort became more obvious to the public.

Phineas quietly asked, "Is that all true?"

She scoffed. "You better believe it. And there's more. I just can't imagine him remaining loyal to the snake bastard if he knew the true consequences of his actions. It'll take multiple generations, if ever, for the Wizarding World to forget the part that the Malfoys play in the war. It's been what, a thousand years since the founding of Hogwarts? And no one's forgotten that Salazar Slytherin was prejudiced."

The wizard huffed indignantly. "Now listen here, Avalynn McGonagall—"

But she waved him off. "I get, alright. I understand that the truth can be twisted, but the same thing will happen after this war. Not everyone will believe that Malfoy was coerced or taken advantage of or too scared to stand up to Voldemort."

Phineas seemed to mull over her words, but as he took a breath to respond, the door to her quarters creaked opened.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, she greeted Aunt Minerva.

"Ava, Phineas," the professor replied in a tired voice.

"That bad, huh?" Ava asked as she turned around, knowing that the older witch had just come from a meeting with Dumbledore on her behalf since she hadn't wanted to see or speak to the wizard since their last encounter.

McGonagall pressed her lips together in a firm line before speaking. "I explained to the Headmaster what you expect for the Order meeting tomorrow, and he asked me to brief you so that you'll be more prepared." She rose a brow at Ava. "And I shan't continue acting as your personal owl. You and Albus are both adults. You need to act like it and come to an understanding."

Feeling chastised, Ava's cheeks reddened and she ducked her head. "Yes, ma'am."

Titters from the painting above the fireplace caused Ava to lift her head and glare at Phineas, who appeared to be innocently picking lint of his robes.

Aunt Minerva sighed. "Well, there isn't much to tell you about how the Order meetings are run, but we might as well get started, and I'll outline the agenda for the meeting tomorrow as well."

Ava smiled and rubbed her hands together like a Bond villain. "Let's do this." She was finally in the thick of things, and she was looking forward to it.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I hate giving excuses for the lack of updates, but real life issues demanded my attention recently and I was struggling with a bout of depression that was sucking all of the motivation and energy right out of me. Thankfully, I'm on the upswing now :) The only thing left still unresolved from real life is my dog needing surgery on his elbow since he's at that age now where his joints are acting up. *fingers crossed* Here's a little something so you know I haven't forgotten about you :) just kidding—this is the longest chapter I've ever written. It's a monster!
> 
> Since this chapter includes the Order meeting, I had to do a bit of research on the original members, but I ultimately decided to go with what I liked best anyhow. For example, Minerva McGonagall wasn't a member of the first Order of the Phoenix! I didn't know that or maybe I forgot years ago, but in my story, she is :) I'll admit that I also had a bit of trouble figuring out how I wanted the scene with the Order meeting to go too.
> 
> Thank you SO very much to everyone who has left kudos or comments on this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D
> 
> Review shout-out: MsFluffoPaws!! Thank you! :)
> 
> Let me know what you think :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 43**

Despite Avalynn's favorite holiday being only two days away, her stomach was in knots as she forced herself to nibble on her dinner roll. In less than thirty minutes, she and Aunt Minerva, along with the other Order members present in the castle, would be heading to an undisclosed location for her first meeting. _This is what you wanted, isn't it? Take a deep breath and get your shit together._ Listening to her own advice, Ava closed her eyes and took a few slow, steadying breaths.

Wrapped up in her nervous thoughts, she startled when a hand clasped hers—the one that wasn't currently poking craters in the crust of her bread as she clutched it. Her eyes peeked open to find Severus scanning her face in concern as he sat across from her at the Slytherin table.

"Are you going to be alright?"

She shrugged.

His lips thinned. "McGonagall will be with you. We both know that she would never let anything happen to you, Ava. You're just going to a meeting." His dark eyes narrowed. "You _are_ just attending a meeting, right? You're not going on some foolhardy mission, are you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise at his demanding tone. "No, Severus. It's just a meeting."

The tension seemed to leave his body as he nodded. "Good."

She sighed, pulling her hand away from his. Her eyes roved over the platters of food, but her stomach shriveled at the smells emanating from the roasted chicken, potatoes, and buttery vegetables, much too queasy to tolerate anything she'd usually stuff her face with. "Can you at least trust me enough to let you know when I'll be doing something a bit more dangerous?"

"I _do_ trust you."

"Then trust me when I say this is just me freaking out because I hate being the center of attention and I've got to make my story believable to an entire group of people I've never met before."

His mouth turned down at the corners. "I thought you were going to tell some of the more prominent members the real truth."

She groaned and rested her head on the table. "That's the plan," she voiced, lacking enthusiasm. "I can't let Dumbledore and Aunt Minerva be the _only_ members that know the whole truth. What if something happens to them and I can't get anyone else to listen to me?"

A mixture of worry and fear tinted his tone as Severus asked, "Is anything _supposed_ to happen to them?"

Her head shot up. "No." As far as she was aware, Dumbledore hadn't yet collected the Gaunt ring, but hopefully he would do so over break. She hoped even more so that the Headmaster would heed her warning.

Severus peered over her shoulder, his eyes widening a fraction before he began rattling off advice. "Clear your mind before the meeting. Focus your shield on what's most important. Dumbledore can't possibly be the only Legilimens in the Order."

Ava swiveled in her seat to see Aunt Minerva approaching, having come down from the Head Table. She faced her best friend as his words became more frantic.

"Stand firm, no matter what happens. What other people say. You know the truth, they need to listen to you. Message me if you need anything."

She gulped and nodded. Standing from the bench, she asked, "Want to meet up when I'm back?"

"The Room?"

She shook her head. "Just come to our quarters and we can hang out. We've been working really hard the past few days. We deserve to just chill for a night."

He looked a little uncomfortable as his cheeks tinted pink.

It took her a moment, but Ava realized that Severus had never been inside her rooms. _And it's probably a whole other level of awkward with Aunt Minerva being his teacher._ "We can meet somewhere else if you want." She grinned. "We can hang out in the Slytherin common room."

"No," he breathed out, eyeing the younger Slytherins at the other end of the table. "I don't think that's a good idea. Who knows what those idiots would say once classes resumed?"

"So, my quarters then?"

He rolled his eyes. "I know what you're doing."

"Is it working?" she asked with a wide smile, knowing that he'd rather face an unpleasant situation with the professor than have her anywhere near the Slytherin dorms.

He let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, witch. Now leave my sight before I change my mind."

"See ya." She glanced behind to see her aunt patiently waiting.

Just as she was about to step away from the table, Severus whispered, "Good luck."

Ava paused. "Thanks." Steeling her nerves, she joined Professor McGonagall.

"Are you ready, dear?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

The pair made their way to the Hospital Wing to meet up with Madame Pomfrey before heading to use Dumbledore's Floo, and Ava lost herself in the swirling storm of what-if situations that flooded her mind. _I can't believe I'm going to a meeting for the Order of the fucking Phoenix. This is too unreal._ She flushed at the thought of explaining herself in front of the serious kick-ass wizards and witches that made up the Order. _What if they don't accept me as a member?_

Wiping her sweaty palms on her robes, she turned to the professor, trying to push down the queasy feeling rising in her stomach. "Does everyone know I'm coming?"

"This meeting has been scheduled for months, so we would be gathering anyhow. I doubt anyone is aware that we're gaining a new member tonight though, unless they've spoken to Albus, which is unlikely."

Ava could feel the blood draining from her face as a wave of heat rushed over her. Breathing rapidly, she pinched her shirt and flapped it away from her chest while fanning herself. "I'm sure that'll be a fun surprise for everyone," she murmured, all possible negative reactions circling through her head. "Oh, here's McGonagall's long lost niece out of _nowhere_, she hasn't even _graduated_ yet, but she's ready to be a member, don't worry about it, she'll be fine. It's not like she's _brand new_ to magic or anything."

"Are you feeling quite alright? There's nothing to be concerned about."

"I'm just hot. Are you hot?" _I don't think I can do this._ She wiped sweat from her forehead as her vision started to blacken around the edges. _I shouldn't go. But Dumbledore already thinks I'm going, I can't back out now._

She felt lightheaded and clawed at the wall, her stomach ready to spew up its meager contents, but someone grabbed a hold of her shoulders and guided her through the large doors of the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy!" Aunt Minerva called out.

_That must be who's holding me._ Her vision faded in and out as blood pounded in her ears. _What's happening? Am I dying?_ The sound of panting reached her ears and she realized it was her own panicked gasps for air.

The professor's voice was garbled, but Ava could just make out something along the lines of "sit down" as she was directed towards a hospital bed.

Chest heaving, Ava's hands trembled as she attempted to keep herself upright on the edge of the mattress. _Of course I can't do this. At least if I'm dying, I don't have to go to the meeting._ Another heat wave of anxiety crashed through her body at the thought of not helping stop Voldemort. _Maybe I'm interfering too much and this will make it all worse. But I can't just sit back and watch it all go to shit._

"Of course you can't," Madame Pomfrey said, causing Ava to realize she'd thought aloud. "And you aren't dying, young lady." The healer pushed a glass vial into her hand. "Take a few sips of this. You'll feel much better."

She took the potion but glanced at the older witches with a frown. "I don't know if I can go," she whispered breathlessly.

Pomfrey sighed and cupped her hand around Ava's, pulling out the stopper and gently lifting it towards the young woman's mouth. "We'll discuss the matter as soon as you've had some of this."

Ava complied and drank several mouthfuls of the sky blue liquid. Still clutching the vial, she could feel her body cooling off, as if a pleasant breeze had just decided to blow through the Hospital Wing. Her mind quieted down and her breathing evened out. Coming back to herself, she blushed and ducked her head. "Was all that freaking out a panic attack?"

"How do you feel?" Aunt Minerva asked, skirting around Ava's question.

"Better." She breathed out in relief, handing the potion back to Madame Pomfrey and taking in the concerned expressions on the older witches' faces. _It probably was a panic attack and now they think I'm too delicate to tell me the truth._

As the healer set the glass vial down on the side table, she explained, "It's a Calming Draught and it should keep your nerves settled for a couple of hours."

McGonagall grasped Ava's hands in hers. "I can understand why you'd feel anxious at the thought of the meeting, but dear child, there's nothing to fear. All of the people who'll be attending are decent and kindhearted. I cannot even begin to understand the weight resting on your shoulders, but I believe that your intent is pure. Everything you've done since you've arrived has been focused on helping others and saving the Wizarding World."

She flinched. "Just don't start calling me 'the savior' please," she joked half-heartedly. "It's bad enough as it is." Taking a deep breath, she said, "This is all just a little overwhelming."

"As your healer, I would recommend that you rest in a calm environment for the remainder of the evening." Pomfrey quirked a brow. "However, I'd wager that you aren't open to my suggestion."

Ava let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I had a moment there, but I'm fine now." She ignored the niggling voice at the back of her mind that whispered, "_No, you're not_." As if to prove herself, she shakily stood from the bed. "Can I just have a glass of water, please? And then we can go."

Aunt Minerva stared at her for a long moment before nodding and conjuring a cup of cool water.

Madame Pomfrey ran a diagnostic spell over Ava and appeared satisfied. "We should be going if we don't want to be late."

She nodded and gulped the water before wiping her still sweaty face and neck with her robe. Convinced that she was well enough once again, the older witches turned their backs and headed towards the door.

Ava lunged for the side table and downed the rest of the Calming Draught before the professor or healer could spot her. _Just in case_, she told herself, using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth clean. She scurried to catch up, and fell into line with them as the potion seemed to be taking affect.

The tension slid right out of her body, melting into a puddle on the floor she could leave behind, and her mind felt lighter than it had for months. Probably clearer than it had ever been. _I feel a little too relaxed._ Now walking next to Aunt Minerva, she giggled, thinking about how she told Severus they deserved to "chill." _I'm certainly chill right now_, she thought, laughing to herself again.

The side-eye from her guardian was enough to sober her for a moment and she ruthlessly pinched herself beneath the sleeve of her robe. _Son of a bitch_, she mentally complained with her jaw clenched. Before they reached the Headmaster's Office, Ava had to force herself to focus once more, making her swear that there would be a nasty bruise on her arm come morning. She was beginning to regret drinking the remainder of the potion.

She took back that thought almost immediately as she ascended the stairs and watched Madame Pomfrey greet Dumbledore before disappearing in a burst of green flames. Trepidation grew in her stomach but it seemed to leak out as quickly as it came. Before Ava could step up to the fireplace, the wizard handed her a small piece of parchment that read, "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at Number 20, Mablethorpe Lane."

She hadn't even realized that she didn't know what address to announce in order to use the Floo. When the parchment sparked and flames consumed it, she merely raised her brows in mild surprise and slowly released the paper, letting it flutter to the floor.

"Are you feeling well, Miss McGonagall?"

Ava tore her gaze away from the ashen address on the stone floor to find Dumbledore peering at her with narrowed eyes. "Yes, I'm perfectly calm. Alright, I mean. I'm fine." At least she had the wherewithal to look away from the blue eyes that inspected her.

Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Aunt Minerva gestured for her to use the Floo first. It wasn't until she spoke the last syllable of the address for Headquarters, when the green flames were their brightest, that Ava realized she was tumbling into unfamiliar territory on her own. That startling thought was enough to snap her senses into alertness as she ducked out of the fireplace, brushing soot off herself and blinking rapidly to clear spots from her vision caused by the luminous flames.

It appeared that the home she just entered had the Floo network set up in a library or an office of some sort. The dim glow from lanterns revealed a high ceiling, at least twelve feet tall, with bookshelves stretching up to reach it. The scent reminded her of the library at Hogwarts—a combination of paper and must, and she momentarily wished for time to peruse the texts that she might not find in the school's inventory.

There was a small desk near drawn curtains, no doubt in an attempt to conceal the secret meeting taking place, with only two other chairs in the room. Though there was enough floor space for more seating furniture, it appeared that the owner didn't entertain much in this room since crooked stacks of books littered the carpet and chairs instead.

Hearing voices outside the door, Ava inched closer just as a head popped around the corner, nearly scaring the life out of her. She grasped her wand instinctively.

"Ava, dear, come meet some of the members," Madame Pomfrey called, waving her over.

The familiar face doused her nerves and Ava quickly stowed away her Blackthorn. She formed her mental shield, barricading in memories that would reveal the truth about her, before stepping forward. Just reaching a hallway that was wide enough for five people to be milling about, she faintly heard to Floo activate behind her.

The healer looped her arm through Ava's and introduced her to the other four chatting members.

She channeled Phineas as she politely greeted each of them and tried her best to catalog something about their appearance or personality so she could easily remember their names. Dedalus Diggle was the homeowner and rather cheerful in her opinion considering the reason for their meeting. Benjy Fenwick also seemed in a good mood, but Ava could recall that Moody had once commented that they could only find "bits of him" after Benjy had been killed by the Death Eaters. She swallowed a grimace and kept her face blank as Pomfrey moved onto the others while Aunt Minerva and Dumbledore joined them.

Dorcas Meadows was a dark skinned witch that even Ava found slightly distracting with her gorgeous looks and mesmerizing eyes. The woman shook Ava's hand firmly and stood with confidence though she appeared to be only a few years older. _I wonder if Sirius ever had a crush on her_, she idly thought. The last introduction was only necessary for her to get the twins' names straight. With the red hair, freckles, and an infectious smile, she could see the similarities to the Weasleys before the wizard kissed the back of her hand with a wink and announced himself as Fabian Prewett.

Ava felt her cheeks flush as she squirmed and practically yanked her hand out of his. _He may be good looking, but I've got a mate for Christ's sake._ Even though the full moon had been over a week ago, Ava could feel her magic growling in displeasure at another male touching her. _I know, I know. Me too._

The cheeky wizard only seemed to be amused by her behavior. "My brother will be quite curious to meet the niece of his favorite professor."

"Oh, Mr. Prewett, you flatter me," her aunt said with a small smile.

After pleasantries were exchanged between members, Ava gently nudged her aunt, desperate to escape the hallway that felt as though its walls were closing in on her. She trailed behind the professor and her chest expanded with relief as the hallway opened up into what looked to be the foyer of the home. Other members were spread out in the open space, conversing in small clusters near the door and at the foot of a large staircase.

Directly across from her was a wide entryway of double doors leading into a room that reminded Ava of a modern-day board meeting for some large company. A wooden, rectangular table was in the center and spanned the length of the room, lined with dozens of chairs. She frowned at the sight, knowing that there had only been around twenty-five or so members on the list that Dumbledore had given her. _Maybe other new members are joining tonight._

McGonagall had only pointed out a couple more members to her when the Headmaster entered the foyer and voices died off.

"Good evening, everyone. I appreciate you making the time to meet with the holidays coming up, but this is an important meeting and we won't be gathering again until after the New Year. I'm sure you'd all enjoy getting back to your family and friends at a reasonable hour, so why don't we get started?" The old wizard gestured across from him, indicating that people should take their seats.

Hushed words and curious eyes followed her through the room, causing Ava and her magic to bristle. _I hate this, I hate this_, she complained internally, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The Calming Draught seemed to be warring with her true emotions, causing a ridiculous influx of feelings as it continuously attempted to suppress her anxiety whenever it spiked.

While Dumbledore took the head of the table at the far end, Aunt Minerva took the chair on his right, dragging an unwilling Ava closer to the center of attention. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey took the seat on her other side, keeping anyone new from perching next to her.

On Dumbledore's left side, Professor Flitwick sat with wide eyes as he realized Ava's presence. She gave him a sheepish smile, hoping he wouldn't hold it against her since she had never mentioned the Order during their countless meetings before and after Charms, discussing magic and her extracurricular projects. The surprise soon left his face and he inclined his head with a smile, allowing some more tension to melt from her body.

Directly across from her was a middle-aged wizard with light brown hair, a scar running parallel to his jaw line, and a penetrating gaze. His narrowed eyes peered into her very soul as he inspected her, seemingly trying to determine who she was and if she posed a threat. Before she could lean over to Aunt Minerva and ask about his identity, her attention was stolen by the pair of redheads that claimed the seats next to the intimidating wizard.

As soon as the unknown wizard addressed the twin beside him as Fabian, Ava took note of the differences between the brothers since she was able to see them side by side. She quickly committed them to memory, hoping to avoid ever calling them by the wrong names. Fabian, who struck her as a bit of a scoundrel, and knew exactly how handsome he was, had more freckles scattered along his nose and cheeks, and his eyes were a paler blue compared to his brother's. Both of them had shoulder-length hair, but Gideon's was tied back.

Everyone had begun chatting as they took their seats, and she couldn't hear what the twins were saying to each other over the din. They were obviously discussing something about her considering that Fabian was pointedly glancing in her direction and Gideon's eyes followed.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at their lack of subtlety.

Fabian was grinning widely at her attention while Gideon appeared to still be taking her in. His eyes trailed over her face and loosely braided hair and down to her robes, but his gaze didn't come across as leering. He seemed more curious than anything.

As Ava opened her mouth to tell off Gideon for staring, movement further down the table caught her eye and a welcomed sight greeted her. Dorea Potter had waved at her with a smile and tapped the arm of a man sitting next to her, causing his face to swivel towards Ava. At first, Charlus Potter appeared confused by her attendance, but nodded in her direction before revealing a small grin as well.

Remembering how kind and understanding the Potters had been when she met them a couple months ago, and that they had been thoughtful enough to invite her to their home for a portion of the holiday break, Ava could feel her body relax further into her chair knowing she had more allies amongst the members gathered.

Taking the opportunity to glance around the table to spot any other familiar faces, Ava could tell that there was way more than twenty-five people present. She scanned the room, estimating the real number being closer to forty or fifty attending members. She spun in her seat to glare at Dumbledore. _There's no way he found this many new members in just a couple of weeks!_

Noticing her stare, the shadow of a smile passed over the bastard's face before he looked away to bring the room to attention.

She let out an infuriated huff, crossing her arms. _He didn't give me the complete list of members. How? How did he get around the Oath?_

Just a moment later, she got her answer when the conniving Headmaster announced that everyone present would be required to swear an Oath and become official members. Murmurs broke out in the crowd, with sounds of both agreement and protest following. "I didn't sign on for this, I'm just a financial supporter," someone declared a few seats down from her. A witch she didn't recognize complained, "I only committed to this because I could remain anonymous. Is that going to change?"

_Ah, so he's got more connections in his network than just "members." He wouldn't have been bound by the Oath to include them on the list I asked for._ Pushing that issue aside for later, she glanced around the room with furrowed brows. _Why _wouldn't _they want an Oath? It helps protect everyone._

A gruff voice broke into her thoughts. "Everyone's got something to hide, girly."

Her gaze shot across the table to the imposing wizard.

He continued, "Your average witch and wizard aren't usually inclined to bind themselves magically."

She quirked a brow and straightened in her seat. "Good thing we have no use for average witches and wizards then, huh?"

Aunt Minerva released an exasperated sigh, probably wanting her to behave. However, the twins were having trouble hiding their smiles and even the wizard in front of her had amusement spark in his eyes.

"Is that right? And you're one of those above average witches, yeah?" he asked in gravelly voice.

Ava grinned. "As a matter of fact—"

Red sparks shot into the air. They were harmless, but startling nonetheless, and forced everyone's attention to Dumbledore. "If everyone would quiet down, I could explain and address any of your concerns."

At the resounding silence, he went on to inform the room that someone had recently brought it to his attention that the Order and its members would be more secure if an Oath was required. Not necessarily because he doesn't trust them—Ava had to hold in a snort at that part—but more so as a safeguard so that a member couldn't inadvertently reveal any sensitive information. A handful of members had questions for their leader, but she tuned them out, instead trying to subtly study those around her.

She was distracted from her spying when a nasally voice asked, "What about her? The new witch?"

Ava clenched the armrests of her chair at the audible shift in the group's attention to her. Panic welled inside her briefly, but began to drift away as she focused on taking a deep breath. She turned slightly in her seat and looked to Dumbledore, attempting to convey as clearly as possible that she was not about to discuss her identity or anything else personal until everyone in the room had sworn their allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix.

He returned her stare with a nod before casting his gaze back to the room at large. "We will only discuss Order matters after everyone has completed their Oath. If anyone is uncomfortable with that decision, then they can choose to leave but I will need to set up an appointment with those regarding their departure from the Order to follow-up."

She couldn't stop the scoff that escaped. _Most likely to forcefully Obliviate them of any memory about the Order._ Seeing that she drew the attention of those sitting closest around her, Ava attempted to cover up her noise of disbelief with a cough.

Even though she was technically the only new member, everyone recited the Oath in tandem, allowing a smidgen of her anxiety to float away. In her own, semi-professional opinion, having demanded Oaths from multiple people, Ava thought the wording of the Oath was tight and precise, requiring the caster to bind their loyalty to the Order as a group, rather than to just follow Dumbledore's lead.

_Maybe he's planning for all contingencies_, she thought with mild shock while resuming her seat along with the rest of the members. The old wizard didn't seem like the kind to tolerate others stepping out of bounds. Surprisingly, no one had walked away from the table after the Headmaster's offer, despite complaining about having to take the Oath.

The esteemed leader opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the same wizard as earlier, given the distinct voice. "What about the witch?"

Ava's nerves may have gotten the best of her because before she knew it, she had rolled her eyes, stood with her chair squeaking across the floor, and faced the room, trying to find the person to match the voice. "Who is it that has the patience of a three-year old and finds me so interesting that he couldn't wait one minute for me to be introduced?" She raised her brows and slowly made eye contact with several members further down the table, ignoring the snickers that followed her question.

When the awkward silence began to border on unbearable, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I believe it was Mr. Fletcher, Miss McGonagall, whose curiosity you piqued."

She didn't take her eyes off the rest of the members when she repeated, "Mr. Fletcher?"

"Mundungus Fletcher, ma'am," the nasally voice spoke up.

_Of course_, she chided herself. _The only Fletcher that makes any sense._ Her eyes followed the sound to a bald, short wizard with tanned, leathery looking skin. "Well, Mundungus, and everyone else who's wondering, I'm Ava McGonagall."

Whispers reached her ears from the wizards and witches surrounding her and she looked over her shoulder to Dumbledore.

He inclined his head, so she turned around to the crowd once more.

"Yes, I'm related to Minerva McGonagall, she's my aunt. You probably haven't heard of me before because I grew up in the Muggle world in America, not having much interaction with Aunt Minerva or the Wizarding World, but I'm here now and I find myself compelled to help the Order in any way that I can." She remained standing, waiting for the onslaught of questions.

"Aren't you still in school?" a dark skinned wizard asked.

"Yes, Mr. …?"

"Shacklebolt."

"Are you Kingsley's father?" she asked with a smile. At the wizard's nod, she added, "He's a smart cookie, that one. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with when he graduates."

Mr. Shacklebolt returned her grin. "Thank you, that's very kind. Kingsley wrote to us that he was tutoring Professor McGonagall's niece, and while he's no longer doing so, I'm assuming that you're still working your way through the curriculum. How are you supposed to contribute to the Order when you haven't completed your magical studies?"

A shrill voice interrupted her response. "Forget about her studies. She's still a child. That's hardly appropriate."

Fabian groaned from across the table, drawing her attention briefly. He mouthed, "sorry," and ducked his head.

Ava frowned and peered down the table, attempting to find the witch that had spoken out against her. _Well, shit_, she thought when her eyes connected with those of a redheaded woman who looked ready to give birth any day now, and who happened to share notable physical traits with the Prewett twins.

A wizard with fiery hair as well stood behind the woman, his hand on her shoulder, presumably in an effort to calm her. "Molly, let's hear them out," he suggested softly.

Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms. "Yes, let's hear the reasons for letting an underaged witch into the Order."

Ava could hear Dumbledore beginning to speak up, most likely on her behalf, but she realized that it would only make her appear even more childish, needing an adult to speak for her. _Thank God I wore witch's robes today instead of my school uniform._

She cleared her throat and addressed the Order. "Look, I might still be in school, but I _am_ seventeen." _Not sure if that's entirely true, but let's go with it._ "I have every right to be a member of this group, just like everybody else, and you won't be changing my mind. If my age makes you uncomfortable, get over it."

A grunt and a chuckle sounded from across the table. "And if it's my magical abilities that you're hesitant about, speak to the professors." She gestured towards her aunt and Professor Flitwick. "They'll vouch for me."

Madame Pomfrey shot her an encouraging smile, bolstering her confidence.

"If you have any other questions or complaints, you can take it up with me and my wand after the meeting."

"Avalynn!" McGonagall hissed.

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the shocked faces around the room. Though she managed to catch Dorea's approving expression as she sat down. As bold as her statement was, Ava knew she needed people to back off from asking questions about her. Not to mention, it'd be good practice for her to duel someone other than her friends and Remus.

Fabian waggled his eyebrows. "Feisty," he whispered. "I like it."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation but couldn't hide her grin. _That wizard's going to be trouble._

With her introduction out of the way, the meeting drifted back to the original agenda. However, Ava found it particularly boring since the Order hadn't become too active yet, considering it was only the end of 1977. They discussed the current layout of politics and which people in positions of power were on their side or firmly against them. There were a few names mentioned of those that some members thought could be swayed to their side depending on how upcoming bills and policies were handled by the Wizengamot.

Seeing as she didn't recognize any of the people discussed, Ava nearly tuned out of the conversation, but it seemed as though the meeting was already wrapping up. She sat up in her chair with a frown and glanced around the table to find people beginning to stand or put their outer robes back on to brace the cold weather.

_What? That's it? Just talk to more people and see where they stand? How is that a plan?_ She had to remind herself that the Order hadn't encountered the Death Eaters at full, murderous force quite yet, but that didn't excuse their unpreparedness.

"Uh," she began, awkwardly raising her hand as if in a classroom.

"Yes, Miss McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked, resulting in several groans of annoyance to echo around the room as all movement was halted. The wizard looked curious as to what she had to say and gestured for her to continue.

She wrapped her fingers together and hid them beneath the table. "Well, um, what about the Aurors?"

"What about them?" snapped the gruff wizard across from her.

She quirked a brow at his brusque response. "They weren't mentioned."

"How do you mean? In what way would we have discussed the Aurors?" McGonagall asked.

She sighed, predicting a negative response to her line of thinking. "I'd like to know about the affiliations of the Aurors. Both established and in training." As her comment sunk in, she looked around cautiously. Aunt Minerva and Professor Flitwick both appeared troubled while Dumbledore eyed her with an assessing gaze.

All at once, everyone in the room started speaking. Ava could only hear those around her, and Dedalus Diggle's voice carried to her from the other side of Madame Pomfrey. "But the Aurors are loyal to the Ministry. They're there to protect us."

Unable to stop herself, she scoffed and leaned forward to get a better look at the wizard. "That's ridiculous. You think people will be loyal because of where they happen to work?"

The older man's cheeks reddened and he sputtered, unable to form a response.

Once again, Dumbledore called the group to attention with sparks. "Alastor, what do you think?" he asked, shifting his attention to the wizard across from her. "You're Head Auror after all."

_Alastor? Like Alastor _Moody_? Shit!_ she yelped internally, meeting the dark wizard catcher's piercing eyes with a gulp. _I hope I didn't piss him off. Of course that's Mad-Eye Moody, I should've known! It's not like he's missing an eye though._ Ava continued to mentally berate herself as she looked him over with a new perspective.

Moody stared at her while he said, "I have a decent idea as to which Aurors we could approach and those we should steer clear of."

Without thinking, she asked, "What about those on the fence?"

He nodded and rubbed his jaw. "Aye, there are a handful that I'll need some time with." He glanced to the twins. "You boys will help me with that, won't you?"

"Yes, sir," they said in unison.

Seeing that the twins were the only ones that Moody addressed caused her to frown and look down the table to see if any other Aurors might be listening to their boss. Ava didn't spot any, but she did notice Dorcas Meadows. The witch was sitting next to Gideon and staring at her with interest.

Dorcas raised her voice slightly and asked, "You don't think those who signed on for protecting our society would do so against this man gathering followers and spouting off about policies prejudiced against members of that very same society?"

Ava couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. _How are these people so naive?_ "Just because someone is a part of the law enforcement doesn't mean they're no longer susceptible to their own prejudices, or bribery, or blackmail, or whatever. Dictators rise to power all the time by enlisting their own armed forces. Why wouldn't the Aurors be considered for recruitment?"

Noticing a lot of eyes on her, she swallowed and glanced around the table, waiting for someone to break the deafening silence.

Unfortunately, it was some idiot. "Maybe that's what happens in Muggle societies, but it's not the same in the Wizarding World."

Ava tried. She truly did. Her cheeks flushed with anger, and her frustration boiled over. She shot out of her seat and slammed her hands on the table, glaring out towards the rest of the room. "If you honestly believe that, you've got your head so far up your ass, you don't know right from left."

Ignoring the various remarks of incredulity and admonishment, as well as a few surprised laughs, she whipped her gaze towards Moody. "I'm sure as a dark wizard chaser you know all about Grindelwald, correct?"

The group had quieted once more and his grunt of acknowledgment was crystal clear.

She dismissed the obvious expert on Grindelwald sitting tensely in his chair at the head of the table, and continued to question Moody as he appeared to be the highest member of the wizarding law enforcement in the Order. "How long did it take for him to amass the greatest number of his followers?"

The gruff wizard leaned his elbow on the table and understanding seemed to dawn in his eyes. "Three years. And the total number was never determined, but it was upwards of a few hundred."

She nodded, thinking quickly. "And how many wizards and witches make up a department of Aurors, typically?"

"Including the trainees? Anywhere between forty to sixty would be at the home office as some would be out on assignment at any given point."

"Was there any evidence that Grindelwald recruited from within the ranks of law enforcement in the various countries his followers were stationed in?" Ava knew that the fighting with Grindelwald was mostly restricted to the European continent, and she was hoping her line of questioning would still pan out considering she wasn't too familiar with that particular dark wizard.

Moody let out a dry chuckle. "Quite. He had dozens of confirmed agents within foreign ministries, and most professionals believe he had even more undercover because of the level of intel he was able to gain, giving him the upper hand in most skirmishes with the authorities."

She could hear whispers throughout the room, but shook them out of her thoughts, wanting to get her point across. "I'm assuming there were interrogations held?"

He nodded.

"Did any of the Aurors following Grindelwald give any indication as to why they joined him?"

Moody let out a low growl. "Just about any reason you can think of. They believed in him and agreed with his views. He paid them off or promised them power. But there were others that had been blackmailed or coerced in some way."

Ava looked to Dumbledore and she could've sworn fear flashed across his face, but she blinked and his features were blank. "How long has Voldemort been gathering followers?"

He pressed his thin lips together. "It's difficult to say with how underground he kept his organization until recently, but I was first able to confirm his active recruiting nearly two years ago."

She took a breath and slowly looked at her aunt, Professor Flitwick, and Moody before facing the rest of the Order. "If Voldemort is as even half as convincing and charismatic as Grindelwald was," _which he is_, "his followers already outnumber the Aurors of the British Ministry of Magic. And he's probably converted some of the Aurors to his side already."

Reality settled in as silence hung heavy around the room. Even those that had argued, believing that the Aurors wouldn't turn against them, stayed quiet.

Eventually, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If there are no further questions—," he cut a look to Ava, "—or observations?" He waited a moment, then continued, "In light of this evening's discussion, Alastor, as well as the Prewett brothers, will begin to assess the standings of the Aurors. I ask that everyone else continue working on their own tasks until the next meeting. Have a good evening, and Happy Christmas, everyone."

As the majority of the Order began to shuffle out of the room, Fabian and Gideon made their way around the table to where Ava was standing with Aunt Minerva. She was getting an ear-full on proper behavior for a young lady when the twins waltzed up.

"Miss McGonagall, allow me to introduce my brother, Gideon Prewett. Brother, this is the impressive Miss Ava McGonagall," Fabian announced with an exaggerated flourish.

She kept herself from rolling her eyes in fear that Gideon would think it was directed at him. _Fabian reminds me too much of Sirius_, she thought while extending her hand towards Gideon. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," he said while gripping her hand firmly before tucking it in his pants pockets.

"How long has it been since you've graduated?"

"Five years," they said together.

"So you've been fully trained Aurors for how long?"

Fabian flashed her a smile. "Don't worry, we'll be able to protect ourselves against the big, bad wizards."

Gideon shook his head and shared a look of exasperation with her. "We trained for about a year and a half after graduating, and we've been working in the DMLE ever since."

She nodded. "What's that like? Being an Auror?"

Both of their faces lit up and they launched into an explanation. Fabian's description told more so like a fairytale in which he was the knight in shining amour, whereas Gideon's was practical but humble. He seemed hesitant to mention that he currently held the best exam scores for the training program and his cheeks reddened when Fabian announced it for the entire room to hear.

Only a dozen or so members remained when Gideon asked Ava which House she had been sorted into.

"Gryffindor," she told them, beaming.

"Of course you are. Quite the spitfire for your first meeting," Fabian said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Gideon returned her smile. "We should've known, considering who your aunt is."

Ava cast a glance at Aunt Minerva who had stepped aside to mingle with Madame Pomfrey and other members. "Yeah," she said with a huff of a laugh, appreciation lacing her tone as she considered the older witch who took her in with no hesitation.

"How are you settling in at Hogwarts?" Gideon asked.

As much as Fabian seem to tease and play around, he looked genuinely interested in her response as well.

"Well, I'm doing alright in my classes. I'm not taking any electives so I can catch up quicker, but I'm already starting seventh year Charms after break."

"That's great," Gideon said.

"Are those little Gryffindor troublemakers still there?" Fabian asked. "They had a name for their group almost straight from the beginning, but I can't remember…" he trailed off.

Ava laughed. "You mean the Marauders? Those guys are some of my best friends. They're in seventh year now."

The twins chuckled and Gideon said, "Those boys were too clever for their own good, even when they were firsties."

She smiled. "Yeah, they're something else. Although, my best friend is probably the cleverest person I know." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aunt Minerva stiffen next to Madame Pomfrey. She frowned and nearly asked what was wrong but Fabian distracted her with more conversation.

"Who's that then? Lupin? He seemed to be the only one of the four that took school seriously. He'd follow the other three around trying to keep them from getting into too much trouble."

She giggled in delight, loving the fact that she was learning about Remus and the Marauders when they were younger. "No, not Remus. I'm not sure if you know him. Severus Snape?"

The twins frowned in unison. "Snape?" Fabian asked.

Gideon tilted his head. "Yeah, tiny, dark haired bloke that the Marauders always seemed to be messing with."

"No, that couldn't be him," Fabian said with a shake of his head. "Wasn't he a Slytherin?"

Ava crossed her arms and raised a brow. "Yes, Severus, my _best_ friend, _is_ in Slytherin. Your point?"

Guilt flashed across Gideon's face as he started to backpedal over his brother's insinuation. "What he meant was—"

But Fabian was flabbergasted and didn't let his brother finish. "No, that can't be right. You're a Gryffindor." He turned to Gideon. "Didn't we hear that he was a part of the crowd playing around in the Dark Arts with a bunch of Pureblood arseholes?"

She noticed several members around them had perked up, eavesdropping on the conversation as their own fell silent. Moody and Dumbledore seemed particularly interested in her response.

Fabian glanced back at her with furrowed brows. "What's a nice witch like you doing hanging around boys like that, love?"

Her magic seethed at the term of endearment and she reflexively palmed her wand, causing Moody to take a step towards her. She ignored him and closed the distance between herself and the obnoxious twin, pressing the tip of her wand under his chin while she clutched the front of his robes.

"Ava!" she heard McGonagall cry in shock.

"Miss McGonagall," Dumbledore warned.

"One moment, Aunt Minerva, Headmaster," she replied in a sweet tone that contrasted nicely with her feral grin inches from Fabian's startled expression.

His blue eyes were wide as saucers as his mouth hung open, and he seemed unable to form words.

"Let's get a few things straight, shall we, Prewett? First of all, never call me 'love' again." She lowered her voice while jabbing her Blackthorn more forcefully into his skin and practically snarled, "I'm not yours."

Her magic quelled after the statement and Ava felt her temper cool a few degrees. She pulled back her wand slightly and watched him swallow. "Second, who I'm friends with is none of your business. I don't prematurely judge people based on their Houses. I leave that to the small-minded." She gave him a pointed look.

He began to protest and she clicked her tongue. "It's rude to interrupt," she chided, pricking his skin with her wand. "And lastly, you don't know _anything_ about me, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm only 'nice' to those deserving of it."

She lowered her wand and took a step back. Plastering a smile on her face, she looked to his twin and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Gideon." Casting an uninterested glance over Fabian, she added, "It _was_ a pleasure, until you opened your mouth. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, hm?"

Without waiting for a response, Ava strided over to her aunt and Madame Pomfrey who were standing with Professor Flitwick and a wizard that McGonagall had pointed out to her earlier. She couldn't recall his name at the moment, but she blamed that on the fact that she was too busy trying to soothe her magic and emotions and settle her nerves after the scene she had just displayed.

"Blimey," she heard breathlessly whispered from behind where she had left Fabian standing dumbfounded.

Peeking around, Ava saw Gideon leading his brother away by the shoulders. Fabian risked a glance back at her and flashed her a crooked smile before winking. She whipped her head forward, blushing furiously. "He's an _absolute_ idiot!" she hissed, looking at her aunt for sympathy.

The wizard standing next to McGonagall let out a belly laugh. "True, but it helps that he's easy on the eyes. He's a decent wizard too." He extended his hand. "Edgar Bones."

Failing to keep a smile off her face, she shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bones." He appeared to be in his mid-forties, with thick and wavy brown hair, and his finely trimmed mustache gave him an aristocratic air.

"Bones is right," Moody said, the sudden, gruff voice by Ava's ear causing her to startle. "Prewett's a damn good wizard. Would've been interesting to see you go up against him."

She merely grunted in response, still wanting to wipe that stupid grin right off Fabian's face. Casting her gaze about the room, she noticed that only a handful of the members remained. Even Madame Pomfrey had left. _Oh damn. It's just Dumbledore's closest lieutenants_, she realized, remembering Aunt Minerva's briefing on how her first meeting would go.

The Headmaster had resumed his seat at the table and the others followed. Her aunt, Professor Flitwick, Moody, Edgar Bones, Dedalus Diggle, and Elphias Dodge sat as well, leaving Ava's chair from earlier empty.

Her eyes darted around the table and back to her seat. _Time to explain_, she thought, taking a deep breath before sitting. Thankfully, the Calming Draught appeared to still be working as the rising nausea in her stomach retreated after a few moments.

Whether Dumbledore wanted to take the lead or sensed her unease at the prospect of explaining herself, the wizard calmly brought his most trusted Order members up to speed on Ava's situation and from where she truly came. The unsuspecting wizards were incredulous at first, but within a minute, Professor Flitwick had come around to the idea.

"It's no wonder you're pushing yourself so hard in your classes, dearie," he told her.

She gave him a sheepish smile. "Thank you for believing me."

The others eyed her warily. "Well, I trust you, Albus, so I suppose I'll be trusting Miss McGonagall as well," Elphias Dodge said.

Bones and Diggle nodded their agreement.

_I guess that's the best I could ask for right now._ Ava understood that with outlandish claims and such a grim future outlined for them, anyone would be hesitant to accept her story. She turned her gaze to Moody, who was squinting at her, seeming to have an internal debate as to whether or not he should toss her out of the room.

"Alastor," Dumbledore said. "It if helps, Miss McGonagall answered a plethora of questions while under Veritaserum, proving that her loyalty lies with the side of the light."

She caught the fact that he neglected to mention that she also attested that she would willingly disobey orders to ensure the safety of an alternate time line.

Moody gave a grunt and nodded.

Though she found the Auror's lack of trust annoying, and was growing tired of proving herself, she understood that it was necessary. _So I guess he's always been a fan of constant vigilance_, she mused with a smile.

Moody caught her grin and barked, "What are you laughing about?"

Her hands rose in surrender. "Not laughing, sir. Just pleased with your dedication to constant vigilance." Ava's smile widened at the shocked faces staring at her.

Dumbledore smiled and after an unending moment of silence, Professor Flitwick and Bones let out surprised laughs, triggering amused chuckles from her aunt and the others as well. Moody didn't laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched and there was a glint of mirth in his eyes.

"She has you pegged in one, mate," Bones said, slapping the Auror on the shoulder.

"I suppose she does," he grumbled, almost pouting at the fact that Ava had insider information on him.

She crossed her arms. "Do you suppose then that I'm telling the truth?"

He peered at her with inquisitive eyes. "Aye, lass. But can you be trusted? That remains to be seen."

With a smile, she said, "All I'm asking for is a chance. I understand your hesitation."

His gaze narrowed. "You would, wouldn't you? Can I assume that's why you inquired about the Aurors?"

She nodded.

"What's your skill level? You seemed pretty confident threatening Prewett earlier."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Good enough, so that boy needs to mind his manners or I _will_ put him in his place."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Dumbledore, Dodge, and Diggle standing and making their way towards the door, but her attention snapped back to Moody as he asked, "Would you care for a friendly duel, Miss McGonagall?"

She swallowed. _Holy shit! No way_. "Are you serious?"

He nodded with a feral grin that should've set her on edge, but it didn't. She couldn't help but think that it was the opportunity of a lifetime to duel Alastor Moody.

Before she could respond, Aunt Minerva cleared her throat and said, "It's getting rather late, I think we should be getting back to castle at this hour."

She waved off the older witch. "It's not that late. I don't mind." McGonagall began to protest further, but Ava looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'd really like to. Please?"

The professor huffed. "Fine, the outcome be on your head, young lady."

"Yes!" she whisper shouted before turning back to Moody. "Are we dueling now?"

Professor Flitwick perked up and Bones starting laughing.

Ava looked at him with a clenched jaw. _Does he think I can't handle myself?_

Bones took in her expression and glanced at the others, his laugh dying off. "Oh, you're serious?"

"Damn straight."

"Language," Aunt Minerva admonished.

"Come," Moody said gruffly as he stood.

Everyone followed him to the front door and they stepped outside, after passing the Headmaster and the other two older wizards in the foyer. _I guess they have something private to chat about_, she thought before crossing the threshold to the outdoors.

The light fixtures on the outside of the house didn't allow for much visibility, but after a quick spell from Professor Flitwick, the entire yard was illuminated. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, nothing to indicate that a wizard lived inside the home, other than the group of oddly dressed people standing in the front lawn.

"Where are the neighbors?" she asked, leaving the walkway that led towards the house and trailing behind Moody to an open space of grass.

"Far enough." He murmured a spell that shot straight into the dark sky above them and released a shimmering blue dome that cascaded around the portion of the yard in which they were standing.

Her head tilted back to take in the sight and a smile blossomed on her face. "Cool. What's it do?"

"It's a combination spell—protection and privacy. It'll keep any friendly fire from hitting the others and Muggles won't notice the light show."

"That's quite handy."

"Aye, we use it with the trainees in Muggle London so they can get used to the lay of the land if any of our suspects step out of the Wizarding World." He turned to the three spectators and then back to Ava. "We'll duel in the traditional style."

Her brows furrowed. "Uh, I'm not sure exactly what that means, other than bowing and no killing."

"Or maiming, Avalynn McGonagall," her aunt admonished from the sideline.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, no maiming either." She lowered her voice. "Spoilsport."

But the masculine chuckles and familiar sigh of exasperation revealed that she hadn't been as quiet as she intended.

"Flitwick!" Moody barked, startling everyone in the vicinity. "As a former World Dueling Champion, how could your own student not know the standard procedure for a traditional duel?"

The Charms professor appeared flustered and sputtered out, "We discontinued the Dueling Club several years ago."

"Bah!" The Auror looked at her with a frown of disappointment. "You'll be no match for me then, girly."

Indignation coursed through her body as her magic flared to life in response.

"How unfortunate," her aunt commented with a lick of hope in her tone. "We'll be going then." She looked at Ava expectantly.

"I think I'll prove to be quite the adversary, Mr. Moody." She could see him waffling, so she grinned and added, "Unless you don't think you could take me."

Flitwick chuckled in delight and gave her a nod of encouragement that boosted her confidence since the professor had never seen her duel before. Bones roared in laughter, presumably at the prospect of her challenging Moody, but it lightened her nerves none the less. _If I can duel Severus and Regulus simultaneously while taking hits, surely I can make a good stand against Moody._

"Fine. But hurry it up, I've got things to do," he grumbled.

She accidentally let out a squeal of excitement, but immediately calmed herself at the glare from Moody. "Yes, of course. So we walk what? Ten paces away from each other? Then turn and bow?"

"Yes. No Unforgiveables, otherwise I'd have to arrest you, and like the professor said, no spells that could maim or seriously injure."

"Got it."

The pair stood together with their wands drawn and swiveled, taking ten steps in the opposite direction before facing each other once more. They bowed and Moody fired off his first shot before her back had even straightened out.

With a yelp, she dodged to the side and cast _Protego_ in case another spell followed.

"That's good!" he yelled. "You've got to be fast on your feet."

They circled for about a minute, flinging harmless spells back and forth, just testing out their opponents. Ava knew Moody was taking his sweet time, finding all the chinks in her fighting style. Her frustration and nerves mounted.

In quick succession, she cast red sparks and _Fumos_, releasing a smoke screen that would hopefully cover her movement. She leaped several feet to the side and then began to cast _Everte Statum_, with the hope that it would land its mark and throw Moody off balance so she could easily bind him.

But right as she began to utter the spell, the Auror cleared the smoke and whirled to face her. He was able to cast a shield just in time to deflect her attack.

"That's more like it!" he shouted with a deep chuckle.

She knew her aunt and the others were murmuring behind her about their duel, but she couldn't discern their words over the pounding of blood in her ears. Though she was able to cast as quick as lightning, the Auror was microseconds faster, allowing him to shield and retaliate at a frightening speed. Spending most of her time shielding now, she could barely fire off any spells at her attacker.

She took a deep breath and focused her mind. Time seemed to slow down for the next minute as Ava fell back on her instincts and allowed her muscle memory to take over as she danced around the lawn, dodging and shielding against Moody. Whenever she could, she'd throw a spell aimed to hurt, hoping it'd be enough of a distraction.

However, the Tripping and Stinging Jinxes weren't enough. She growled in frustration, hating the fact that there were spells at her disposal that she couldn't use. Laughter from the sidelines broke into her thoughts. _Fuck it_, she thought, assuming that someone was enjoying her predicament a little too much.

Not wasting another second she shouted, "_Confringo_!" As the fiery blast drew Moody's attention, she cast a Slicing Hex.

A hiss of pain reached her ears.

_Gotcha_, she thought with a grin, but as she raised her wand to cast _Incarcerous_, her mouth dropped open.

What little smoke her fire spell had created drifted away, revealing Moody clutching his chest with one hand and deep red liquid soaking through his fingers.

Unbidden, a tiny whine left her throat, disturbed that she had caused enough harm to draw that amount of blood. A Slicing Hex didn't usually cut so deep, but she must've put more power behind it than she realized.

Ava took a step forward, lowering her wand. "I'm so—ooph." The wind was knocked out of her as she hit the ground, bound tightly in ropes.

"Never lower your guard!" Moody barked at her.

She rolled her eyes as she strained her neck to find her opponent. "Bullshit," she muttered under her breath. She should've known better. Moody wasn't the kind of wizard you apologize to in the middle of a duel just because you accidentally put a little too much strength into a spell.

Aunt Minerva was already with the Auror, seemingly bandaging him up since he had shed his robes. Ava peered around and found that Dumbledore, Dodge, and Diggle were outside now as well. Her hackles raised at the thought of the Headmaster watching her duel.

Since no one had made any moves, she yelled, "Anyone care to cut me loose?"

Professor Flitwick let out a startled squeak and released her as he hurried over. "Well done, Ava. That was very impressive."

Her cheeks heated. "Thank you, professor."

"Your performance makes me almost wish we still had a Dueling Club. It would've been very good for others to see."

She ducked her head. "I don't know about that."

"He's not wrong, you know," a voice said.

She peered up to see that Edgar Bones had joined them.

"You held your own against a powerful Auror for quite some time." He smiled. "Granted, he might've been going a little easier on you, but it was clear that he had to work to defend himself several times."

She beamed. "Really?"

"Unfortunately," Moody's gruff voice remarked behind her.

She spun around with an open mouth. "I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to, I—"

He sliced his hand through the air. "Enough. You did better than I expected."

She let out a huff of laughter. "Thank you for that backhanded compliment, sir, but I might've won had we not adhered to the standard dueling rules."

He quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "That true, Miss McGonagall? Maybe we need to see how that match would turn out."

She beamed. Noticing how he addressed her, it seemed that she had somehow earned a modicum of respect from the imposing Auror.

"I think one duel is enough for tonight," Aunt Minerva said primly. She gave Ava a pointed look.

"Alright, alright." She looked to Moody and held out her hand. "Thank you for your time, sir. It was an honor."

The reverence in her tone might've been a little much because he eyed her warily as he shook her hand. "Aye, it was a bit of fun." He leaned in. "Might I suggest that you work some more on your defensive magic? You have a variety of offensive spells, so it seems you favor those."

She nodded vehemently. "Okay, thanks." _He's totally right. For crying out loud, the only shield spell I know is _Protego_. Is there even another kind of shield?_

As she walked with Moody to join the others at the entrance to the house, she caught Dumbledore's calculating gaze. She shivered, not liking the look on his face. Not one bit. If the old wizard had been alone, Ava swore he would've been twirling his mustache and throwing his head back while letting out a diabolical laugh.

She tore her gaze from him and stood shoulder to shoulder with Aunt Minerva.

The group parted ways, those Disapparating staying outside and those returning to Hogwarts heading inside to the library. As the front door closed behind them, Ava could hear the muffled cracks of Disapparition sounding from the lawn. _Can't wait until I can do that_, she thought, realizing that they needed to narrow down her "age" so that she could get her Apparition license.

They congregated in the library of Diggle's home and Professor McGonagall stepped into the fireplace, following Flitwick. As soon as her aunt vanished in a flash of green flames, Ava moved to step forward to return to the school as well, but Dumbledore caught her elbow.

"Miss McGonagall," he said.

She cringed but smoothed out her expression before pivoting to face him. "Yes, sir?"

"I was rather impressed with your skills against Auror Moody," he began.

_Shit_, she thought as her stomach dropped to the floor.

"I'd like to schedule a meeting with you in the coming days, before classes resume, to discuss your future role with the Order."

"Yeah?" she asked, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat. "That'd be alright with me. Just let me speak to Aunt Minerva about when would be the best time for her."

"No need to bother your aunt. We can keep this between ourselves."

Dread trickled down her spine as she met his gaze full on. "And you'll be on your best behavior?" she whispered, trying not to catch the attention of the homeowner who was busying himself with organizing books on the desk.

Dumbledore smiled, but it didn't seem to reach his eyes. "Of course. I wouldn't break the fragile trust between us by attempting to enter your mind again."

She held his stare, knowing that he wouldn't try something with a witness at least. It also didn't slip past her notice that the Headmaster included his trust in her as "fragile." _I took Veritaserum for fuck's sake_. "I would certainly hope not." She couldn't think of a single legitimate reason why she wouldn't be able to meet with him, but she could try. "I'll be staying with the Potters after Christmas."

"I'm sure they would be more than willing to allow you to use their Floo to visit the castle for our meeting."

She swallowed, looking away from him. _Well then, I guess we're having this fucking meeting_. "Just let me know when." Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and strided to the fireplace, grasping a handful of Floo powder. "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts," she muttered, hearing the resignation in her own voice.

Upon her arrival, she practically dragged McGonagall out of the office and down the corridor, heading to their rooms post-haste. "_I'm home_" she sent to Severus through their enchanted parchment. She froze mid-step, causing Aunt Minerva to falter as well. _I'm home?_ she repeated incredulously. _Home?_

"What is it, child? You're very pale."

"I, uh—," Ava began, wondering if she should just shake off her feelings. She pressed her lips together and let out a breath through her nose. "I just thought of Hogwarts as home," she blurted, frustration clear in her voice.

McGonagall's eyebrows raised. "Oh? I would've thought—," she stopped speaking as a look of understanding passed over her face.

Ava clenched her fists at her sides. "This isn't—," she hissed, eyes darted up and down the corridor to make sure they were alone. "I mean, it is, but—." She heaved out a sigh.

Aunt Minerva stepped towards her. "Dear child, you can have more than one home. If home is where one feels safe and comfortable, surrounded by family and friends, and it happens to be more than one place, then so be it."

Her eyes stung with tears. "I—I get so wrapped up in things going on here, that I sometimes forget about my world. My old home. My _real_ family and friends." Noticing the stricken look on the older witch's face, she hastened to add, "Not that my family and friends here aren't real. God, that's not what I mean at all!"

Ava buried her face in her hands as drops of wetness spilled from her eyes. "I _love_ everyone here. Everyone that's been there for me."

Aunt Minerva gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and continued leading her to their quarters. It was probably for the best because she bursted into sobs just a moment later.

"I just my mom sometimes, you know?" She sniffled. "And my friends. And my dog." Letting out a pitiful whine, she cried, "Jesus Christ, I miss my dog." Her words became blubbery as her crying headed towards hysterical. "My—my fluffy bud—dy who was al—always there, no—no mat—ter what."

McGonagall stayed silent as they approached their rooms, other than muttering the password and coaxing Ava with a, "Come on in, dear."

She struggled to gasp for breath between sobs as she stepped through the entrance of their quarters and sat on the couch.

"Shhh, that's it, Ava," her aunt whispered, gently pulling her in for a hug and soothingly rubbing her back. "Merlin, child. You're allowed to miss your family and whoever else your heart longs for. It's perfectly natural. No one here is asking for you to give them up and no one ever will. Understand?"

Ava nodded against her shoulder.

"Good. Now I'd like for you to listen to my words carefully."

She sucked in a ragged breath. "O—okay."

Aunt Minerva kept stroking her hand in circles on Ava's back as she spoke. "There is nothing wrong with showing your emotions."

"I know," she murmured.

"Shush, dear. Just listen. I won't ever fault you in needing some time to process your grief. Because that's what you're experiencing, understand? You've been taken away from everything and everyone familiar to you and you've been very strong in adapting to your situation. It's admirable."

Even with her face buried against McGonagall's shoulder, Ava could feel her face reddening.

"While I might not know your friends or Mr. Lupin as well as you do, I would like to think that they wouldn't judge or condemn you for needing to process your emotions."

Deep down, Ava knew they wouldn't. She just hated crying in front of others and she needed to stay strong for the sake of everyone around her.

"If anyone ever treats you differently, you come straight to me and I'll handle it." Her arms tightened around Ava.

She smiled at the fierceness in her aunt's tone and grip.

"Something else that I'd like you to remember is the other side of your emotions. The joy and happiness and belonging that you feel here."

She stiffened, self-loathing coursing through her veins. "But I—."

"No," her aunt said firmly. "It's perfectly understandable for you to settle and find your sense of place within this world, Ava. I'm willing to continue looking for answers on how to return you to your first home, but it's entirely up to you. There's no need to feel such heavy guilt as you begin to move on with your life. You need to understand that. As it stands, you will likely spend the rest of your life here and you shouldn't have to experience such turmoil until the day you die. Give yourself permission to live if that what you need."

Ava pulled back in surprise with a sniffle. McGonagall's words hit the nail on the head. Every time a wave of grief like this crashed down around her, she felt so incredibly guilty that she hadn't been devoting all of her days to trying to find a way back to her original world.

But at the same time, she couldn't ignore the people here. Those that she knew needed her, or wanted her, she thought with a heated flush, thinking of Remus. Her soulmate.

She smiled at the thought of her friends and mom finding out about her having a legit soulmate. They'd swoon and want all the juicy details. She let out a shuddering breath. _Resistance is futile. I'll drive myself crazy going back and forth over this._

She looked at the professor with a determined edge to her features. "We don't need to keep looking. We exhausted all of our resources before and it led to nowhere. I can't live with a festering flame of hope and pass the rest of my life in perpetual disappointment. I have a life here now, but I'm not going to just forget about my life from before."

She vowed in that moment to create another notebook just like the secret one she used for details of this world, but she'd use it for keeping record of her previous life. _Maybe I'll share it with Remus too_, she thought, considering that it might help her not feel the drowning guilt that overwhelmed her every time she thought of the life she left behind if she shared it with someone.

A knock on their door sounded. _Severus_. As she stood, she wiped her nose and eyes on her sleeve.

"I take it that'll be Mr. Snape?"

She nodded, her breathing still ragged.

"I suppose I should make myself scarce then. I wouldn't want to frighten away your friend," she said with a soft smile. The professor stood and headed into her bedroom for the time being.

Ava opened the door. "Hey, Severus."

His eyes roved over her face and his brows furrowed. "What happened?" he demanded as he stepped inside, grasping her shoulders. "Why were you crying?"

While his tone was laced with anger, she knew it wasn't directed at her, but at whoever or whatever had upset her and he wanted to seek revenge on her behalf. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.

He returned her embrace. "Always."

Her heart turned to mush in that moment, and she realized that while she would never stop missing her previous life and loved ones, she wouldn't give up her best friend for anything in the world.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Thank you so much for the support and in case you’re wondering, my dog is doing just fine. He’s got several weeks of healing ahead of him, but it’s looking like he’s all good. 
> 
> Another thank you for all the kudos and comments!! :D
> 
> Review shout-out: aylina, Mayamelissa, rabbitfriend, MsFluffoPaws, and MAddis! Thank you for your kind thoughts and words :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 44**

Avalynn spent Christmas Eve much like every other day of the holiday break so far—dueling.

A streak of orange light flew past and she rolled out of the way. Popping up from the floor, she cast _Protego Horribilis_, dodging a particularly nasty looking spell as it fizzled against her shield.

Unfortunately, having multiple opponents meant that she didn't have time to catch her breath. Her eyes darted around the Room in an attempt to determine where to move next. However, a tingle of magic raised the hairs on the back of her neck and her head snapped to the side, just in time to see a spell headed her way. She ducked and let out a grunt from her impact against the dueling mat, but managed to cast _Protego Horribilis_ just in case.

"Ava! Please don't tell me you've asked the Room to use lethal force! That last one looked like _Sectumsempra_!" Severus shouted, sending a wave of irritation through her.

Without taking her eyes off of the target dummies, she yelled, "Let me focus!" and continued to alternate between launching attacks and erecting the new protective shield she had learned. It was created to block any dark spells, so she wanted to truly test it before relying on it in the real world. Not that she was planning on engaging any Death Eaters in a duel, but "constant vigilance" and all that.

Not only had she requested that the Room use lethal force, she had also asked that the assault not stop until she either finished off her opponents or she called out a safe word. It may have appeared brutal to Severus, but she wanted to push herself in her training and the newly learned _Protego Horribilis_ should protect her. In theory.

Thankfully, her best friend stayed relatively quiet for the next few minutes, allowing her to concentrate. She was able to push his occasional grumbling to the back of her mind, and decimated the targets. With an exhausted smile, she straightened up from her crouched position and turned to Severus. She didn't even have a chance to wipe sweat from her brow before he bombarded her with questions about the new spell and where she found it, considering he hadn't heard of it before.

She shrugged and fiddled with her wand. "I couldn't get back to sleep this morning, so I went to the Restricted Section for more defensive spells, like Moody suggested."

Severus grinned while shaking his head. "I still can't believe you dueled an Auror." His smile slowly dropped. "But I don't agree with the extremes to which you're willing to train under," he said, his tone stern.

She rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I have you here? Hmm?"

He looked gobsmacked as his mouth opened and closed without words coming out, but his expression turned stormy as he finally found his tongue. "Ava," he growled. "I have already experienced all-consuming dread when I thought your life in danger before. I have _no_ need to do so again."

They stared at each other in silence for a beat before he added, "Don't push me."

She waved him off. "Alright, fine." Ava wasn't going to keep arguing with Severus when he was in a mood like that. There was no point. He didn't want to budge and neither did she. Her ability to protect herself and others was of the utmost importance and nothing would change that.

Slowly twirling her Blackthorn between her fingers, she nonchalantly said, "Speaking of protecting me from danger…there's a really cool shielding spell that I found."

He rose an eyebrow. "Is that so? And pray-tell, why didn't you use it during that demonstration?" he asked, gesturing at the burnt and tattered remains of the target dummies over her shoulder.

She pressed her lips together and rocked on her feet. "Well, it's a _bit_ intense and stronger than what I really need to use against the Room. But I'd still like to practice it."

His dark eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms.

Ava had to keep herself from laughing at the almost pouting look on the face of the man who was supposedly going to become one of the most powerful wizards in all of Britain.

Apparently, she didn't reign in her amusement enough because he snapped, "What?"

She shook her head while closing the distance between them. "Nothing. It's just good to know that you care about me." She elbowed his side gently.

Severus's face softened. "Of course I do. That's why I find it so trying when you make decisions that border on the imbecilic."

She huffed out a laugh. "Geez. Tell me how you really feel."

He must've taken her joke to heart because he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a long moment of silence, he dropped his hand and met her gaze. "I have experienced more distress in these past months than in all of my life. You're likely to give me an ulcer, witch." He quirked a brow. "With how you approach your training, it makes me wonder how you'll handle yourself as a member of the Order."

Ava grimaced at the reminder.

"What is it now?"

"I may have left something out of my recap last night." Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she could see that he was patiently waiting for her to continue. She took a deep breath and explained how Dumbledore wanted to meet with her privately about her position within the Order.

"Why is that cause for concern?" Severus asked with furrowed brows.

"He only mentioned it after watching me duel Moody."

Understanding dawned in her friend's eyes.

Frustration laced her tone. "I wasn't thinking. I didn't know he was watching, otherwise I might not have egged Moody on." She dropped her voice. "I just wanted to see how I'd stand against a strong wizard, you know?"

Severus squeezed her shoulder. "I doubt it's much comfort, but I can't imagine Dumbledore would try anything. Even without Professor McGonagall there."

"Yeah. I just hate having to navigate the old man's manipulations and half-truths."

"I don't know," he said lightly. "Headmaster Black seems to think you can handle yourself."

She grinned, thinking of how Phineas had joined them last night for a retelling of the Order meeting. It was annoying as hell because her vocal cords would simply stop working if she was about to mention any specific names or strategies they were using due to the Oath, but she struggled through. Since her duel with Moody after the meeting wasn't directly related to the secret organization, she was able to explain that event in greater detail.

Severus and Phineas had both praised Ava after she reenacted her behavior during several points of the meeting where she had called on her Pureblood knowledge and body language and when she had stood up for herself under the scrutiny of the other members. Though there was a hint of teasing as the wizards clapped and nodded for her performance, both of them flashed her genuine smiles.

After the Slytherin Headmaster's appearance, Severus seemed more comfortable being inside her quarters. But that only lasted until Aunt Minerva had come out of her bedroom to get some tea, startling the poor kid. The professor had rolled her eyes and snapped at him for being so timid and awkward, and Ava had to keep herself from laughing at his wide-eyed expression.

Once McGonagall was back in her room, Severus had turned to her and dryly remarked, "Clearly, she doesn't know me at all."

Ava's repressed laughter burst out of her then, but her aunt's presence must've faded into the background since his body language eventually relaxed and he laughed more openly as they continued to chat with Phineas and discuss their plans for the rest of break.

She shook her head, focusing on Severus and the Room once again. "Anyway, I want to try that other shield spell."

He pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Please, please, please?" she asked, pushing out her bottom lip and widening her eyes.

He sniffed and busied himself with straighten the sleeves of his robe. "Just so you're aware, that pathetic look of yours doesn't work. However, I _am_ interested in seeing the spell you mentioned."

She bit her lip to keep from smiling too widely. "So, the incantation is _Protego Diabolica_. It's supposed to differentiate between friends and enemies, and it'll form a circle of flames around us. The flames are supposed to keep anyone who's fighting against us from crossing, but it should let people in who are trying to help or aid us. The book stated that harmful spells won't be able to cross the barrier either." Ava's enthusiasm began to leak through during her explanation, causing her to be out of breath when she finished speaking.

Severus eyed her warily when she instructed him to stay inside the circle with her as she cast the spell, but she wasn't going to voice her doubts. It was probably the most powerful spell she had attempted to cast, and she wasn't going to take any chances of allowing the magic to mistake him for an enemy.

_Why are the spell books always so vague?_ she mentally complained as they moved to the center of the dueling mat. _Though, that's probably why they're in the Restricted Section, Avalynn._

"Whenever you're ready."

She took a moment to run through the correct wand movements in her head before casting the spell aloud. "_Protego Diabolica_!"

Black flames surged from her wand, spilling out onto the floor in a great mass before racing around them to shape a protective barrier. Ava's hand trembled as the flames continued to pour out for a few more seconds. They suddenly stopped and a wave of exhaustion swept through her.

Hoping Severus wouldn't notice, she shook herself, rapidly blinking her heavy eyes open. The dark, glittering blaze flickered and billowed as if it were part of a fire, but added no warmth to the Room. A thin layer of sweat had broken out across her forehead even though no heat radiated from the flames.

_That's not good_, she thought, considering she hadn't been this physically affected by casting a single spell before.

Ava could feel _something_ emanating from the shield though. The air around them felt heavy, pressurized, like when you dive down deep underwater. Any slight shift of her body caused a tingle of magic to race along her skin, raising the hairs on edge.

"The flames are _black_."

She looked at Severus who was still taking in their surroundings with wide eyes. "Yeah, that's the coolest part," she said before returning her gaze to the fiery shield.

The color of the spell wasn't the most unusual thing in her opinion. It was the sound. The wavering flames brought to mind the crackle and snapping of wood in a fire, but that noise was nowhere to be found. Instead, the shield was releasing a constant, low hiss, reminding her of a bouncy house that had gotten punctured.

Her eyes spotted the target dummies reassembled on the other side of the magical fire—_but not real fire_, Ava reminded herself. She turned to face her best friend. "Do you trust me?"

His eyes narrowed, glimmering with the reflection of the flames surrounding them. "I do," he said slowly, seeming to hesitate.

Glancing around the Room randomly, as she always did when making a request aloud, Ava asked, "Can you have the dummies cast more aggressive and harmful spells at us, please?"

"Ava," Severus growled with a warning as he raised his wand, whirling to face the target dummies.

"Thank you!" she called out, seeing the targets come to life. She stepped closer to the Slytherin. "Just cast a shield if you're that nervous, and wait to see what the flames do."

Sure enough, he muttered something unintelligible under his breath and kept his wand lowered. She would've rolled her eyes, but she was too busy waiting to see how the shield would react to their magically animated attackers.

Just a moment later, all of the target dummies fired a variety of spells at the pair. Her wand hand twitched and she suppressed the need to defend herself as she recognized a Slicing Hex, Entrail-Expelling Curse, and _Sectumsempra_ heading towards them. She didn't even have time to check what the other spells were before the black flames came alive and whisked out from the circle. The blaze engulfed each dummy, and with a loud fizzle, similar to that of an insect flying into a bug zapper, left nothing behind but a pile of ashes.

Ava and Severus turned to each other with wide eyes and open mouths before their attention snapped back to the flames encircling them. The Room replaced their opponents and continued its assault. Once again, the flames roared to life and ruthlessly disintegrated the target dummies.

"Okay! Okay," she yelled, waving her hands. "That's enough."

Their attackers halted their movement and the fire retreated to its circle.

"I'd like to try something," Severus said.

"Go for it."

His brows furrowed for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Uh, Room?"

Ava had to use every ounce of self-control in her body to not laugh at his expression. Clearly, he felt ridiculous speaking aloud to Hogwarts.

"Could you have one of the targets attempt to cast a healing spell on one of us? Thank you."

Her eyebrows rose. "Good idea." She faced outward, curious to see how the flames handled a perceived ally.

A bundle of bandages flew at them and wrapped itself around Ava's arm, settling over a bruise that she had earned during her duel with Moody the night before.

She glanced up and found the target dummy still intact. "Nice," she said with a smile before turning to Severus as she pulled off the unnecessary medical wrap.

He looked thoughtful.

"What is it?"

His gaze met hers, showing concern. "Do you really foresee yourself needing this kind of protection?" he asked, gesturing to the black flames around them.

Ava sighed. "Honestly? I have no clue. I really fucking hope not, but I have no idea."

After a long moment, he nodded. "Why don't we end the spell?"

She gulped. "Yeah, okay." While the book in the Restricted Section hadn't actually mentioned the little detail of how to douse the protective flames, Ava assumed that a basic counter-spell would suffice. "_Finite_."

The black fire continued to hiss and flicker around them.

She cleared her throat and focused. "_Finite Incantatem_," she said, the strength of her effort clear in her voice. Again, nothing happened. She looked to Severus, who had his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Don't look at me like that," she groaned, feeling like a small child caught sneaking dessert before dinner.

"Then quit being a dunderhead. What's the counter-spell?"

She fiddled with her wand in her hands. "There wasn't one listed," she mumbled.

"Pardon?" he asked with raised brows, leaning closer.

She let out a huff of irritation. "There wasn't one listed, okay?"

"Ava—," he began.

"I just figured that the normal counter-spell we use for literally _everything_ would've been enough."

"Obviously," he said, slowly trailing over each syllable.

She inhaled quickly, ready to lay into him for directing that professor tone of his at her, but he held up his hand.

"You're going to lead me to an early grave, McGonagall." As she opened her mouth to toss an insult back, he added, "I wasn't finished."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Continue, oh wise one."

"Theoretically, _Finite Incantatem_ should work on any spell that can be ended by another spell. It appears that this one just needs more power to cancel it."

It took her a moment, then a light bulb went off. "You think we should use _Magicus Extremos_?"

He smiled. "Precisely."

Without further discussion, Ava reached out and interlaced her fingers with his. "Ready?"

"Ready."

In tandem, they cast _Magicus Extremos_, and magic thrummed along her arm, linking them together. Taking charge like they had practiced before, Ava raised her wand. Severus gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing his magic, allowing it to course through her more freely. "_Finite Incantatem_!" she yelled, putting all of her power, and then some, into the spell.

Wind whirled throughout the Room and the black flames were pulled towards her, retreating into her wand as though it were a vacuum. Ava gripped her wand, holding on for dear life as the shield disappeared with a roar. She stood still, heart pounding, when it was all over. She glanced at Severus and he appeared as ruffled as she felt, his dark hair askew and slightly tangled.

A wave of dizziness overcame her and she tightened her grip on his hand as the floor tilted. "Whoa."

He reached to steady her shoulder and pulled her hand close in an attempt to keep her upright, or so she assumed until he let out a groan.

"What wrong?" she asked, as they staggered to a table and set of chairs that had just popped into existence.

"I think we're experiencing the side effects of casting a spell that required copious amounts of power."

Relaxing into her seat, Ava frowned and rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache she could feel coming on. "Shouldn't it just affect me since I'm the one who cast it?"

"Avalynn," Severus muttered tiredly from across the small table. "We were linked together while you cast it, so the backlash swept through my magic too."

_Duh_. "I blame my lapse in thinking on the magical exhaustion." Slowly, she reached out and grabbed a glass of water that appeared a moment before.

He chuckled, then his expression sobered. "Clearly, _Protego Diabolica_ should only be used if extremely necessary, as canceling the spell would likely leave you vulnerable." He took a few sips of his own water. "If you're even able to extinguish the flames, that is."

She silently agreed with him. There was no way she could perform that spell entirely on her own. It would need to be saved for dire circumstances because she'd essentially be trapping herself inside the black flames until trusted assistance came along. Fear clawed at her throat and she shook herself, even though it caused the pounding in her head to spike.

_No strong emotions_, she scolded mentally. Taking a deep breath, she centered her mind and called upon her shield, shoving her dark thoughts of future deadly skirmishes against Death Eaters to the far recesses of her mind. She almost laughed, realizing she was becoming as paranoid as Mad-Eye Moody was during the second war, but her laughter deflated with the reminder of why she was closing off her mind.

Earlier that morning, she had received a concerned letter from Remus because he had felt her panic attack the evening before through their bond. As caring and thoughtful as her soulmate had come across at first, it became clear from his words that he was becoming frustrated—with himself and her. He and Moony both felt as though they weren't being the best mate they could be unless they helped to soothe her anxiety, but they couldn't do so without her cooperation.

He insisted that she tell him more of the truth and use him as a sounding board or someone to share responsibility with. Ava was happy to have another couple of days before seeing Remus as she was debating on the best course of action. Of course, it could lighten her burden if she shared everything, but she wasn't ready to tell him _everything_. Not about a potential future that could be avoided.

However, she couldn't bear the thought of her soulmate blaming himself for her troubling emotions. None of what was happening or what could happen was his fault. _Maybe I should just tell him something. Just a little something. He'll feel better and probably back off a bit._ She desperately didn't want her withholding information to become an issue in their relationship.

"Did you get a letter from Malfoy?"

Ava lifted her head. "For tea in a few days? Yeah."

His eyes scanned her face. "You sure you're up for that?"

She scoffed. "Please. I'm not about to let _Lucius Malfoy_ intimidate me."

A smile started to peek out, but then he said, "Others will be there. And knowing Lucius, Narcissa will be close by, with other Pureblood witches."

"I can deal with catty mean girls, I'll be fine."

"Regulus and I will be present anyhow. And Rabastan, for what it's worth."

The corners of her mouth lifted at the thought of the Slytherin, who seemed to barely tolerate her, coming to her rescue.

Ava and Severus rested for several more minutes before retreating to the Kitchens for lunch. The meal reinvigorated her energy and she pestered her friend until he agreed to join her in the library for some studying. While Severus may have rolled his eyes at her insistence, she knew that he enjoyed learning just as much as she did.

* * *

_It's Christmas!_ Ava mentally cheered the next morning when her eyes opened. She sprung out of bed. "It's Christmas!" she yelled out in a sing-song voice, knowing that Aunt Minerva was likely already awake.

As a firm believer of staying in your pajamas all day on Christmas, Ava merely used the bathroom and brushed her teeth and hair. She stepped out into the living room and gasped.

A thick pine tree stood in the corner of the room, near the fireplace. It was tall enough that the first foot or so at the top was bent over, curling against the ceiling. Red and gold ornaments and ribbon decorated the tree, and there was a pile of presents underneath.

"Do you like it?" Aunt Minerva asked, her voice hesitant.

Ava's gaze whipped to the older witch who was standing in their kitchen. "Of course! I love it." She looked back at the Christmas tree. "When did it get here? Did you—it wasn't here last night?" She frowned and turned back to her aunt. "Was it?"

She chuckled. "No, dear. Hagrid delivered it this morning."

Ava's mouth dropped open. "Hagrid?"

"Yes. He's our Ground's Keeper, and has been away on a business trip for the Headmaster these past few months, but returned yesterday. He still felt it was his duty to help decorate the castle for the holiday. He's such a sweet man." Noticing Ava's expression, she asked, "Do you recognize the name?"

She picked her jaw up off the ground and laughed. "Yes, of course." _I can't believe I forgot about Hagrid this whole time!_ "I'll have to introduce myself at some point."

"We'll see him along with the rest of the staff and students at lunch today."

Ava beamed. "Awesome." Her brows furrowed. "He was on a trip for Dumbledore? Do you know where?"

"No idea, dear. You can ask him about it later if you want." She cleared her throat. "Now, don't you have somewhere you need to pop off to?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, I do." She waggled her eyebrows. As planned, with special permission from her aunt, the supposedly strict Hogwarts professor, Ava called out for Flopsy.

The little house elf grabbed Ava's hand. "Are you ready missus?"

She nodded and glanced at her aunt who was smiling encouragingly.

Flopsy snapped her fingers and Ava's vision swirled as pressure pushed in on her from all sides.

Her body barely had time to adjust to what she assumed blasting off into space felt like before everything settled and the world was still again. Nausea bubbled its way up from her stomach and she pressed a hand against her mouth.

Flopsy snapped and the unpleasant feeling disappeared.

She looked down at the house elf. "Thank you, that's amazing," she whispered, not wanting to wake up any sleeping students.

"Of course, missus McGonagall," she said with a nod.

Ava gently squeezed her hand before letting go. "That was my first time Apparating Flopsy. I'll never forget it."

The house elf peered up at her with wide, watery eyes. "It was my honor," she whispered.

The Gryffindor witch took in her surroundings. They stood on a spiral stone staircase that led above and below them. In front of her was a polished wooden door. "You're sure this is the seventh-years' Slytherin dorm?"

Flopsy let out an indignant noise. "I have served Hogwarts for many years, missus, and—"

Ava put up her hand, halting the house elf's tirade. "Of course, sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to be sure. Thank you, Flopsy."

She nodded and snapped her wrinkled fingers before silently disappearing.

A clicking noise came from the door, drawing Ava's attention. _I can't wait to see his face_, she thought, reaching for the unlocked doorknob with the exorbitant amount of glee that one feels only on Christmas morning.

The door creaked open to reveal a dorm room dimly lit by dark green lanterns hung on the stone walls. Ava's brows rose in surprise at the slight emerald hue cast over the room. It wasn't as hideous as she would've assumed with the lights being green and all, but the glass on the lanterns appeared dark enough that it made the green glow more subtle.

Several beds were spaced out nicely and only one had the curtain drawn around it. _Gotcha_. She tiptoed over to where Severus was sleeping and carefully pulled back the curtain. Her hand snapped up to her mouth to smother her laughter.

_He looks positively adorable_, she mused, eyes roving over the most relaxed expression she had ever seen on her best friend's face. His hair was a mess and a little drool was at the corner of his mouth, but the worry lines that she knew to be on his forehead and around his eyes were smoothed out.

Her heart stuttered at the thought of this man being subjected to the life of a double agent because of insurmountable grief and misplaced trust in Dumbledore. Sure, the information he'd provide as a spy would be valuable, but what would've been required of Severus to maintain his cover with Voldemort?

She clenched her jaw. _That won't ever happen. He'll be free to live the life he wants._ She shook herself. _It's Christmas, no time for dark thoughts._

She leaned closer and gently shook his shoulder. "Severus," she whispered.

He barely stirred.

"Severus," she repeated, raising her voice slightly. "It's Christmas."

He let out a groan and mumbled something about it being the holiday break and not needing to go to class.

She grinned and poked his shoulder several times. "Exactly! It's Christmas!" she whispered excitedly.

He blinked slowly and wiped a hand down his face. "Ava?"

"It's _Christmas_, Severus. You've got to wake up."

Realization came over his face and his eyes widened. "Ava!" he yelped, shooting up in the bed, causing the sheet to drop and reveal his bare chest. He quickly scrambled for the bed sheet and yanked it up in an attempt to hide himself.

Ava tossed her head back and laughed. "Yes, Severus, please cover yourself. It's quite scandalous."

He seemed shocked beyond words as he continued to gape at her.

She held her aching stomach as her laughter started to die off. "Get dressed. I'll wait for you outside."

Ava stood out in the stairwell, wiping tears from her eyes. _Do all teenage wizards act like that?_ she wondered with a smile.

Not a minute later, Severus came rushing out of his dorm, robes thrown on haphazardly and softly closed the door behind him. Peering up and down the spiral stairs, he hissed, "What are you doing here?" Not waiting for an answer, he gripped her arm and dragged her up one flight of steps and they spilled out into the common room.

With quick glances around the room, Ava noticed the Slytherin House wasn't as spooky as she imagined it to be. The black, leather furniture looked soft and there were cozy, emerald and silver blankets neatly folded on the arms of couches and chairs. Granted, the green tinged lanterns did give an eerie feeling to the common room, but the plush, cream rugs warmed the space as did the massive lit fireplace, making her almost forget they were in a dungeon.

She tried to get a closer look at the figures on the sculpted marble lining the fireplace, but he continued to pull her swiftly through the room. Just as they were about the cross the threshold of what appeared to be a foyer, movement caught her eye and she pulled against Severus to get a better look.

"C'mon," he whispered.

With furrowed brows, she peeked into the shadows. "I thought I—Oh my god, what are _those_?" She escaped her best friend's clutches and darted over to a glass table that displayed a smorgasbord of treats and pastries in the entryway.

She snagged a plate from a small stack and began loading it up, ignoring Severus's groans. "I'll have one of _you_," she said cheerfully to what looked to be a croissant with chocolate coming out both ends. "And one of _you_." She picked another tasty morsel. "Oh! And one of _each_ of you little guys," she said, delicately placing a few extravagant truffles with her collection.

"Ava, we _need_ to leave," Severus whispered. "Please."

The seriousness lacing his tone caused her to look up at him to find his eyes beseeching hers.

"Alright, geez. Let's go," she said, gesturing towards where she assumed the portrait door would be.

He sighed and turned, expecting her to follow, which she did. But not before frantically stacking a few more desserts on her plate, including some frosted Christmas cookies.

As Severus politely held the door for her, she caught him rolling his eyes at the sight of her delicious bounty.

She grinned around a mouthful of dark chocolate and caramel as they walked down the corridor. "I'm willing to share, bestie. Don't pout." She held out the treats, waving them in front of his face.

He grimaced. "It's a little early for such richness, don't you think?"

"Nope. Besides, it's Christmas and I'm hungry."

"Speaking of which, can I assume we aren't going to the Great Hall?" he asked, eyeing her matching pajama set decorated with snowmen and reindeer.

"You would be right. We're going to my quarters and we're going to have breakfast with Aunt Minerva and then we're opening presents," she said matter-of-factly.

He frowned and grew silent as they climbed a set of stone stairs.

Swallowing a bite of an apple-filled pastry, she asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," he muttered with a shake of his head.

Ava watched her friend with narrowed eyes, not that he would've noticed. Severus kept his head down as they continued towards her rooms. _Maybe he doesn't like Christmas. He's never brought it up before though._ She decided not to pry, not wanting to upset him further.

The first couple of minutes of their meal felt so stiff that Ava had enough and finally said, "Aunt Minerva, Severus respects the hell out of you and doesn't want to make a fool of himself." She turned to said friend, who was glaring at her with murder clear in his eyes. "Severus, Aunt Minerva is a smart, caring teacher that pushes her students. But she's also cheeky and won't give any fucks as to your behavior within these walls as long as you don't start stripping down naked or something equally ridiculous."

Severus's wide eyes darted back and forth between Ava and McGonagall, probably waiting for the professor to contradict her words. But the older witch hid a grin behind her cup of tea and softly admonished, "Language."

Ava beamed. "See?" she asked, gesturing towards her aunt. "I just want to have some semblance of normalcy on _Christmas_ of all days."

They must've heard something in her tone because Severus's face softened and Aunt Minerva reached out and gently squeezed her hand and said, "Of course, dear." The professor looked to the Slytherin. "Do you think you can handle that, Mr. Snape?"

He straightened up in his chair. "Yes, professor." He turned to Ava. "It's Christmas after all. Why don't we just—" his face wrinkled up as though he'd swallowed a lemon "—_chill_?"

Both of the witches laughed and even Severus let a smile onto his face briefly.

They chatted amicably about classes, with McGonagall warning both of them that the seventh year courses would be doubling down on assignments after break. Her aunt politely inquired about Severus's future and Ava wasn't surprised to hear that he wished to become a Potions Master and eventually find a career conducting research and experiments of his own.

Thankfully, they finished their meal before the conversation could shift to Ava's desired occupation after graduation. Whenever the topic came up, she avoided it at all costs or pushed the thoughts away, not waiting to bother considering something that might never come to fruition. She had no delusions about the element of violence and death that accompanied her ultimate goal of defeating Voldemort. While she had no intention of taking on the dark wizard herself, there would be plenty of opportunity for her to fail and be killed by a Death Eater.

Noticing the silence around the table, she glanced between Severus and Aunt Minerva. They were both wearing expressions of concern that were directed at her.

"Everything alright?" her best friend asked softly.

She plastered a smile on her face. "Of course! Ready for presents?" Not waiting for a response, she stood and walked to the tree. Ducking down, she scanned the items for each of their names and handed the gifts out as her aunt and Severus took their seats. She plopped down onto the couch next to the Slytherin.

"Why don't you go first, Ava?" McGonagall asked.

"Alright. It's from Aunt Minerva." She considered the colorful, shimmery paper that was so beautifully wrapped, and tore into it. She shredded the wrapping and let it litter the floor around her feet.

Her aunt chuckled. "I hadn't realized you were _quite_ so enthusiastic about Christmas, dear. You're as giddy as a child."

"Everyone's inner child comes out on Christmas," she said without looking up from her gift. Ava's wide eyes scanned the title of the book. _She can't be serious_. Her head lifted and looked to McGonagall for confirmation.

The older witch was grinning widely. "You'll have to find time in your busy schedule, but it will be easier for you to learn from an expert, so I'll be providing you lessons myself."

Ava squealed and launched from her seat, throwing herself at the professor. "Thank you so much! This is crazy! I can't believe it!"

Severus cleared his throat.

She pulled away from Aunt Minerva and looked to her friend, cheeks already starting to ache from smiling. She held up the book.

His squinted in an attempt to read the cover. "_Finding Your Inner Animal: How to Become an Animagus._" His brows disappeared into his hairline and he looked to her aunt. "You're going to teach Ava yourself, professor?"

"Yes, and—"

"Can Severus come too?" Ava asked excitedly.

McGonagall chuckled.

Her friend made a peculiar high-pitched noise and coughed, seemingly trying to clear his throat. "Ava," he croaked, before coughing again.

"If you hadn't interrupted me just now," Aunt Minerva said with a smile, "I was about to let you know that I wouldn't be opposed to you inviting Mr. Snape or even Mr. Regulus Black to our lessons if you'd like."

Her eyes darted between the professor and Severus, looking to her friend, hoping that he'd say yes. Of course she would learn to be an Animagus on her own, but it'd be a lot more fun if he and Regulus were learning alongside her. _And it would be something that could very well save their lives in the future._

"Professor—" Severus began, protest clear in his tone.

"Mr. Snape, I am extending an invitation to you not only because you are close with my niece, but because I know she _trusts_ you." The older witch looked at him pointedly. "We haven't discussed our potential future between the two of us, but you know as well as I do, that Ava has revealed the truth to each of us, including Mr. Black."

McGonagall's gaze flicked between them. "Learning to become an Animagus isn't something you do just for the fun of it. It's complex and challenging magic. We have dangerous times ahead of us, and I'd like for Ava to be prepared as possible for any situation that might arise." She locked eyes with Ava. "I have no issues privately tutoring those that you've placed your trust in and have obviously come to care for so very much."

Ava gave her a watery smile before smothering her with another grateful hug. "This is an incredible gift. Thank you, Aunt Minerva."

The professor patted her back. "You're very welcome dear."

Severus cleared his throat and Ava pulled away from her aunt, returning to her seat. "Yes, thank you very much, professor. Words cannot fully express how appreciative of this opportunity I am, and I'm sure Regulus would feel the same."

McGonagall nodded with a kind smile. "I expect nothing less than the dedication you two show in your other studies."

He bowed his head. "Of course."

Ava beamed, excitement still flooding her veins at the prospect of becoming an Animagus. "Severus, you next."

He peeked down at the gift in his hands. He tried to master his surprise, but she caught the brief emotion dance across his face. "It's from you, Ava."

She knew that, of course, since she picked it out herself for him to open first. She loved giving people presents, loving that moment of awe and delight in their eyes when they realized what they had been given.

Severus carefully unwrapped the package, causing her to roll her eyes. "Just rip it open already."

He flashed her a look of annoyance and continued with his methodical removal of the paper. His brows rose once he glimpsed the title, setting the wrapping aside.

"I know how much you like to experiment," Ava said. "I thought it'd be interesting to see what Muggle ingredients you could use."

He lifted his head and gave her a small smile. "Thank you." His voice was soft and almost reverent. He slowly opened the book and perused the table of contents before thrumming through the pages.

Pleased with herself, Ava smiled and turned to Aunt Minerva, indicating she should open her present. The older witch let out a loud laugh when she realized that her gifts were the next installments of the romance novels she read occasionally during her free time and thanked Ava with a wink.

They continued to take turns, as each of them had several packages to open. Ava's frown deepened every time Severus received another gift, as he continued to struggle hiding his bewilderment. He seemed shocked to have presents, except for the one from his mother, which contained baked cookies and thick, wool socks that he looked over with fondness.

She had shared a look with her aunt after Severus had voiced his confusion aloud over be handed yet another gift from Ava. She had rolled her eyes and said, "I'm allowed to give you more than one thing. Besides, it's from me _and_ Regulus."

His brows were furrowed as he muttered, "But I already got one from him too."

McGonagall had pressed her lips together, but remained silent as Severus fawned over the rare issues of _The Potioners' Scrolls_ professional research journal that Ava and Regulus had given him.

However, she didn't hold her tongue when he went to open a present from the professor herself and protested, claiming that it was too much and he hadn't bought her anything in return. "Mr. Snape," she said, using her teacher voice. "I hardly require a gift in exchange, and you insult my character by assuming such a thing. Now open your damn present."

His eyes widened slightly as he rushed to unwrap the package, which turned out to be a green and silver scarf.

Ava laughed. "Not what I would've expected from the Gryffindor Head of House."

The corners of Severus's mouth twitched as he thanked the older witch, and he seemed to relax a bit, especially after Ava opened her gift from him.

"Thank you, Severus," she told him with a smile, inspecting the wand holster in her hands. "This is awesome." She immediately moved to put it on and test it out.

As she fiddled with the straps, Aunt Minerva opened a bottle of firewhisky from the Headmaster and then asked, "I'm assuming since I don't see any present from your Gryffindor boys that you'll exchange those once you're at the Potters?"

She rolled her eyes. "They're not _my_ Gryffindor boys."

Severus scoffed, drawing a mild glare from her. "Of course they are. You and Lupin are practically attached at the hip when he's here, and even Black and Potter follow you around like lovesick puppies pretending to be bodyguards."

McGonagall chuckled lightly.

"Well, then I guess you're part of my Slytherin boys then, aren't you, Severus?" she asked with a grin.

He looked affronted at the notion but didn't disagree.

Having affixed the wand holster to her forearm, Ava began to organize her presents a bit before grabbing her wand from her bedroom nightstand. She had gotten some of her preferred sweets from Honeyduke's in a package from Alice and Lily had cheekily given her a Muggle book about soulmates. She only hoped that the others would appreciate her gifts as much.

"What did you get my housemates?" Severus asked.

Ava stacked her new books together. "Well, I got Regulus a Muggle book on constellations. I thought he might like to see what nonwizards think of astronomy." Severus hummed in agreement. "I bought Barty _Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them_ since Care for Magical Creatures is his favorite class, and you know he has a soft spot for animals with the way he talks about them. And I gave Benedict some sweets from Honeyduke's, along with _Quidditch Through the Ages_." _And a special flying lesson_, she added mentally with a smile.

"Merlin, witch. Did you give _everyone_ a book?"

She let out a huff. "There's nothing wrong with books." She crossed her arms and smirked. _He thinks that's everyone_. "Besides, I didn't give _everyone_ a book."

His eyes narrowed. "Ava. Who else did you buy a gift for?"

Her aunt frowned, probably wondering the same.

"I bought Rabastan scarf," she told him with a wide grin.

Severus's jaw dropped.

"Don't worry, it's emerald and high quality. Regulus helped me pick out the brand."

Aunt Minerva cleared her throat. "Ava, did you just say that you purchased Rabastan Lestrange a Christmas present?"

She nodded.

The older witch's eyebrows rose. "Well, then. I hadn't known the two of you were friends."

"They aren't," Severus said tersely. "Not really." His dark eyes bored into hers. "You _need_ to be careful Ava, and tread lightly around the Purebloods."

Rolling her eyes, she continued to pick up her presents. "Yeah, yeah, I know, Severus. _I know_." Arms full, she turned to him. "I know that you just want me to be safe, but why do you think I'm reaching out to others besides just you and Regulus?"

He stood and stormed towards her. "It isn't a game," he hissed.

"I know that!" she snapped. "I understand that better than _anyone_, don't you think?"

She whirled around and stomped into her bedroom, depositing her gifts on top of her bed. She snatched up her wand from the night stand and returned to the living room. Waving her Blackthorn in front of her friend and aunt, she asked, "Why do you think I'm learning to use this, huh?" She slid it into the holster strapped to her arm. "I'm learning and practicing as much as I can so that I _will_ be safe, but you can't protect me from everything."

She crossed her arms as her eyes darted between Severus and Aunt Minerva. "Neither of you can. That's just the way it is. But if I can save even just one more person from following Voldemort or becoming a Death Eater, then I will. And you _will not_ stop me."

The silence seemed to last an eternity as anger and worry alternated across Severus's face, but his features smoothed as resignation won out. "You're right," he said tiredly, returning to the couch.

"You are," McGonagall agreed. "But Ava, dear, you have to realize that won't keep us, and probably others, from being concerned for your safety."

"She's quite right, young lady," a masculine voice piped up from above the fireplace.

Ava jumped and swiveled her head. "Phineas!" she yelled, clutching her chest. "You scared the shit out of me!"

Severus and Aunt Minerva appeared just as startled as she did, with their wide eyes and tense bodies.

"Well, Happy Christmas to you too, Avalynn McGonagall," the portrait remarked primly.

She laughed and walked towards the painting. "How long were you there, just watching us, like a creep?"

The wizard let out an indignant noise. "I resent that!"

They all chuckled at his outrage.

Ignoring them, he said, "I came upon your room right as you were brandishing your wand about and putting those two in their place."

"I resent that," Severus muttered from over her shoulder, causing her and Phineas to share a smile.

The portrait joined them for the remaining of the morning and demanded that they show him all of their gifts. He was quite interested in Severus's book about Muggle plants and their medicinal properties and requested that Severus tell him about any that were deemed worthwhile.

Ava practiced using her wand holster and adapted to it quickly. Then she proceeded to strut around their quarters and randomly flex her wrist, calling upon her wand, and shouting out dramatic lines at invisible foes.

"My name is Inigo Montoya." She flicked her wrist. "You killed my father." She raised her wand and pointed it at a bookshelf. "Prepare to die." She shuffled forward on her feet as though she was fighting with a sword.

Severus let out a groan. "Can you _please_ cease your ridiculous antics? _Some_ of us are trying to read."

Ava pivoted on her heel to face her aggressor. She cast a glance at Aunt Minerva, who seemed happy reading one of her new novels, oblivious to the outside world, and Phineas appeared to be taking a nap, sitting in the bench in front of the cottage.

She wielded her wand as a rapier while approaching Severus, striking and thrusting about. "You must clear your mind, young padawan." She slipped her wand back into the holster. "You cannot always control your surroundings."

Flickering her wrist, the Blackthorn reemerged, causing Severus to roll his eyes. She continued with her sage advice. "But you can always control—" she poked her wand into his chest. "—Your—"

He let out a grumble of annoyance.

She lifted her wand to his forehead "—mind."

Ava leapt backwards as Severus let out a near growl, and she yelped before running around the coffee table from him. She giggled in delight, having escaped and left him standing, chest heaving, face reddened in exasperation.

"Children," Aunt Minerva scolded absentmindedly.

They both glanced at the professor as she sat with her head down, completely focused on her novel. Locking eyes, she and Severus bursted out laughing.

As the evening drew nearer, butterflies erupted in Ava's stomach, excited and nervous to be heading to Potter Manor. _If I managed to get through meeting Hagrid, I can do this,_ she told herself as she packed a bag. _I've already met the Potters and they're nice people._

Lunch with the others hadn't gone quite as planned. Ava was introduced to Hagrid, got engulfed in a bear hug from the half-giant, but then didn't get the chance to speak to him for the entire meal as he sat up at the Head Table. She was insanely curious to know where he had been on orders from Dumbledore and knew that she could probably get truthful answers out of the loose-lipped Ground's Keeper.

She had already said her goodbyes to Severus and Phineas, having parted ways with them earlier, and it was only her and Aunt Minerva in their quarters. While Remus wouldn't get to the Potters' until the next day, if she was being honest with herself, she needed to get out of the castle. Other than a few quick visits to shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, Hogwarts was the only building she had seen the inside of for months. She desperately needed a change of scenery.

Not to mention, she missed James and Sirius almost as much as her soulmate. It was extremely odd to not see them regularly and their absence left her feeling more bereft every day.

"Are you nearly ready, dear?" Aunt Minerva called from the living room.

Scanning her room quickly, Ava snatched up the wand holster and tossed it in her bag. _No harm getting some practice in at the Potters'_. "Ready," she called out. She swung the bag over her shoulder and walked out to the living room where the professor was waiting for her in front of the fireplace. "Ready to see my Gryffindors boys," she said with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note:
> 
> I couldn't help but put in the actions similar to Ron with Severus and the bed sheet :) I can't remember if Ron did that in the book too, but I definitely remember it from the movie because of the meme and it always manages to make me laugh.
> 
> Also, I interpreted Protego Diabolica in my own way based on the description and the fact that it's a shielding spell, and not exactly on how it was portrayed in the Crimes of Grindelwald movie.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Ava finally gets to see her soulmate again! :D
> 
> So, I honestly hadn't intended to turn Ava, Severus, and Regulus into Animagi, but it popped into my head as I was writing out what McGonagall gave her for Christmas. I feel like a wolf would be too easy to choose for Ava, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Let me know what animals you think would be a good fit for them! Feel free to suggest one for each of the three, but you could also just tell me about one or two of them if that's who stands out for you.
> 
> Once again, thank you for all of the kudos and reviews! They're like mana refueling my life force :D
> 
> Review shout-out: MaskedNightgale, aylina, and SapphireCyaan, thank you so much! :D
> 
> I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

**Chapter 45**

Avalynn stepped out of the massive fireplace, brushing residual Floo powder and soot from herself and her bag before setting it down on the carpeted floor. James, Sirius, and the Potters were all smiles, waiting for her in what appeared to be a sitting room. Two sofas and chairs surrounded a large coffee table in the center of the room and the walls were lined with portraits and expensive looking vases and art pieces.

Her eyebrows rose as the welcoming party approached. A house elf was standing at the edge of the group, wearing a buttoned vest and pants that looked as though they were made from mismatched swatches of fabric.

Beaming, James strode forward to give her a tight hug and muttered, "Don't stare. Bucky's rather proud of his uniform, and whatever you do, _don't_ refer to it as clothing."

She huffed out a laugh. "Got it." Pulling back from him, she added, "It's good to see you. Merry Christmas."

He scrunched up his face. "I think you mean Happy Christmas."

Rolling her eyes, she turned to Sirius, who dropped to his knee in a dramatic flourish.

"My Lady Ava, it has been too long." He reached for her hand and stood, yanking her towards him for a crushing bear hug.

Her laugh was muffled against his chest as he squeezed her tight. "I missed you too, Padfoot," she whispered, keeping herself from jumping out of his arms as he sniffed her hair. Being mated to a werewolf meant that she was used to being scented, but this was the first time she could distinctly remember Sirius doing so.

He must've noticed her tense in his arms because he said, "Sorry, I know it really hasn't been that long, but it's sure felt like it, and I needed a good whiff." He pulled back and held her shoulders, revealing his gray eyes bright with happiness. "I think it's just my animal instincts settling around my packmate," he told her with a wide grin.

She smiled in return as her magic delicately hummed beneath her skin, delighted to be around her friends once more.

Glancing towards the Potters, Ava noticed that Bucky, as well as her bag, had disappeared. _That's gonna take some getting used to._ While Ava would occasionally call on Flopsy for snacks and whatnot, the house elf didn't wait on her hand and foot daily.

She moved from Sirius towards Mr. and Mrs. Potter, recalling Phineas's teachings. She looked to them both and gave a small curtsy. "Mr. Potter, _Happy_ Christmas." She gave James a side-eyed look, causing his father's lips to twitch in amusement.

"Happy Christmas, Ava."

She approached Mrs. Potter for air-kisses on both cheeks, addressing her as well. "I appreciate the invitation. I'm really glad that I'll get to see the boys some outside of school. Also, I just want you to know that I'll be sure to conduct myself accordingly when in public and make sure that my attire and behavior is befitting those of a guest of the Potters."

The woman's face lit up in surprise that quickly morphed into a pleased smile. "Someone's been teaching you how to integrate into Pureblood society."

Ava ducked her head. "Just trying to be polite, Mrs. Potter." She ignored the boys snickering behind her. She may not always act with decorum, but it paid to understand societal expectations.

"Call me Dorea."

"And call me Charlus please, Ava. There's no need for the stuffy upper crust niceties with just us."

Sirius draped an arm over her shoulders. "My pompous brother must be rubbing off on you."

Mrs. Potter tsked.

Ava elbowed his ribs none too gently. "He isn't pompous Sirius. Besides, he's not the one who's been teaching me."

"Oh, yeah?" James asked, coming to stand on her other side, his arm brushing against hers.

Her magic tingled and warmed at the contact. _You_ are _happy to see them, aren't you?_ she mentally asked in amused exasperation. The depths to which she had missed the boys hadn't been obvious to her until that moment, and she was certainly glad to spend the next week with them.

"Are you hungry, dear? Why don't you tell us all about your tutor on our way to the dining room?" Dorea asked.

Ava nodded in acquiescence and allowed Sirius to herd her towards the door before he dropped his arm from her shoulders.

The wide, marble hallway was lit by ornate golden fixtures dotting along the walls between doors. Some of which were single, like the one they had just walked through, but others were double, indicating that the room on the other side was rather large. Her eyes widened upon realizing how huge the manor must actually be considering the size of the sitting room she had arrived in.

"So?" Sirius prompted.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I've actually struck a sort of…friendship with a portrait at Hogwarts."

As they strolled down the corridor, her eyes glanced this way and that, trying to take in all of the paintings hung on the walls, most of which seemed to be ancestors of both the Potters and Blacks. _I forgot Dorea was a Black_. She peered around excitedly, hoping to find a portrait of Phineas.

"Really?" Charlus asked, surprise clear in his tone.

Ava laughed lightly. "I know, it's a little weird, but I like him."

"Oh, a _him_, is it?" James teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes. "As if. First of all, he's a _painting_. Second of all, I'm with _Remus_. And third of all—" she laughed "—it's _Phineas_."

"Phineas?" Dorea repeated as they turned a corner, appearing in another hallway, similarly decorated with ornate frames of portraits and landscapes.

"Yeah, the former Headmaster. Phineas—"

"Nigellus Black," she and Dorea finished together.

Sirius froze, causing the others to stop. "You're _friends_ with that old bastard?" he asked incredulously.

Ava crossed her arms and glared. "Don't talk about him like that."

He and James reared back from her tone with wide eyes while Charlus's brows were furrowed in a thoughtful expression.

Dorea inspected her with shrewd eyes for a long moment. "You really don't care about a person's House and history, do you?" the woman asked, slight wonder leaking into her voice.

She shook her head. "No, not when their words and actions show me differently." She leveled a stern look and a threatening, pointed finger at the boys. "Phineas isn't what you think." She opened to mouth to continue the defense of her friend, but was interrupted by Dorea.

"Shall we carry on?" she asked, gesturing down the hall.

Ava reigned in her annoyance. "Yes, please. I'm actually rather hungry." She sniffed haughtily at James and Sirius and spun on her heel to follow their parents.

Just a little further down the corridor, Charlus opened a set of double doors that led into an extravagant dining room. The shiny, dark wooden table could seat about twenty people, and the decor around the room as well as the tableware were what Ava would classify as fancy schmancy. There was even a bar with various styled glasses and liquor bottles at the other end of room.

Her eyes darted to the boys, who were wearing just jeans and t-shirts. Now wearing witch's robes, her clothes were nicer than her pajamas, but even the Potters seemed to be dressed down, appearing more casual than their surroundings. Their attire gave Ava hope that she wouldn't have to utilize her Pureblood etiquette training just to eat, though in the back of her mind, she could hear Phineas berating her for choosing to pass up an opportunity to practice.

Dorea must've noticed her uncertain expression because she said, "Don't worry, dear. We Purebloods can let our hair down every once in a while."

She smiled but tried to keep her relief from being too obvious.

"Yeah, we're having Muggle food tonight," James told her cheerfully. "We've ordered a few different kinds of take-away."

She looked from him, to Dorea, and back. "Are you serious?" Before Sirius could even get out a word edgewise, she held up a hand. "Don't. This is no joking matter." She turned to the Potters. "You're _not_ joking, are you? Because that would be exceptionally cruel."

Charlus let out a deep chuckle. "I take it you've missed Muggle food at Hogwarts?"

She groaned, closing her eyes. "Please tell me we're having pizza."

"Oh no," Sirius said in a regretful tone. "_That's_ the one we must've forgotten about."

Her head whipped in his direction, eyes popping open in devastation.

His wide grin caused her to send a murderous glare his way. "You should've seen your face." He and James laughed, clearly amused by her emotional response to pizza. "I hate to be the one to break it to Remus that your first and foremost love is food, Ava."

She scoffed. "If he's got any sense at all, he'd know that already."

Dorea let out a surprised laugh before calling for Bucky and requesting that he bring out their dinner options.

They had only sat down for a few moments before food containers of different shapes and sizes suddenly appeared, startling Ava with their arrival. It turned out that over the summer Lily had introduced the Potters to Muggle take-away, and the Purebloods had found the meals quite delicious. She was treated to the options of pizza, Indian, and fish and chips.

Of course, Ava jumped for the pizza first, but decided to sample the others after a couple slices. She knew she was being spoiled and needed to take advantage of it before returning to Hogwarts.

"You know, you could probably just ask the elves in the Kitchens for Muggle food," Sirius said as they were finishing up the meal and conversation of Ava's academic progress.

She had been debating whether or not to tell the boys about how far along her dueling skills had come, but pushed that thought to the back of her mind at Sirius's offhanded revelation. "You really think so?"

"Even if they can't summon the food directly from Muggles, with discretion of course," Charlus said, "they should be able to recreate the recipes if you request it."

Her brows furrowed. "I wouldn't want to ask them to do that if they'd have to go through the trouble of making it themselves."

"Nah." Sirius waved her off. "Those little buggers would love it."

"Yeah, we've asked them to make special requests before," James said.

Dorea quirked a brow as she dabbed her lips with a cloth napkin. "Oh, have you?"

He gulped. "For, you know—" his eyes flicked to Sirius "—birthday cakes and stuff."

His father chuckled. "And this 'stuff' wouldn't happen to include any of your detention-earning pranks now, would it?"

James and Sirius squirmed in their seats, clearly not wanting to admit it, but not wanting to outright lie about it either.

Ava tried to smother her laugh, but couldn't keep it contained when Sirius threw her an accusing glare and James pleaded with his eyes for her to change the subject. She glanced at the Potters. "You'll have to tell me about their exploits."

Both boys groaned. "Please, no," Sirius said. "That's defamation of character. They only know about the times we got caught."

"Excuse me?" Dorea asked primly, but Ava could see amusement shining in her eyes.

'Later' James mouthed to her from across the table.

She smiled and shook her head. _Just wait until they see what I've got lined up for them._ She was waiting for Remus to visit so she could have a lookout, but she had the hair removal potions all ready to go, having ordered them by owl before Christmas. Her soulmate had assured her that the boys would appreciate the chance to laugh and hoped that it would spark their imagination for the upcoming term. To be fair, she also purchased vials of hair growth potions so that James and Sirius wouldn't be bald forever.

Dorea stood. "Boys, why don't you go with your father and collect Ava's gifts?" She looked to the young witch. "Would you like a tour of the manor?"

Ava nodded quickly, not wanting to be rude. And hopefully she'd find some spots where she could hide away from the boys when she needed some quiet time. She had no intention of letting her studies backslide.

A tour of the manor only confirmed what Ava had suspected about the home shortly after her arrival. It was huge. Big enough that there were separate wings. _You could probably go all day without seeing another person_, she mused as they headed back towards her room.

Dorea had been a pleasant host and kept the conversation centered around lighter topics as they strolled through the manor. Once at the bedroom she would be spending the next several nights sleeping in, Ava strode to her bag placed atop a chaise lounge chair near the door and pulled out the presents she had brought with her. She kept them in their shrunken state and pocketed them in her robes.

Knowing she'd have plenty of time to scope out her room later that evening, and giddy with excitement to give the boys their gifts, she returned to the corridor where Dorea was patiently waiting. She did take a quick peek around the hallway, glancing towards the rooms that the older witch had told her that James and Sirius resided. She was curious to see what their personal spaces away from Hogwarts looked like.

Dorea led Ava back downstairs to a set of double doors that opened to reveal the boys and Mr. Potter seated in front of a massive Christmas tree. Her mouth dropped open as her eyes trailed the decorated branches up to the ceiling. "How tall is that thing?"

James laughed from his seat on a couch.

As she made her way over to the empty spot next to him, she continued to stare at the enormous tree. "The ceiling's got to be, what, fifteen feet? Sorry, uh, five meters?"

From an over-sized chair on her other side, Sirius said, "Actually, it's closer to six."

"Hot damn," she whispered in awe while settling on the sofa.

As Dorea asked for Bucky to bring them drinks and biscuits, Ava set her presents on the coffee table in front of her and enlarged them before handing them out to the recipients. The Potters appeared surprised but appreciative that they had gifts to open as well, though she assured them that one was strictly from her aunt.

Ava sipped her hot chocolate, anxiously waiting for the boys to peel off the wrapping as they opened theirs together.

"This is brilliant!" James exclaimed, turning the books over in his hands as he inspected the covers.

She beamed at him and looked to Sirius.

He wore a smirk and mischief glinted in his eyes. "You know us too well, Ava." He held his own set of books identical to James's.

"What are they about?" Charlus asked.

Both boys were too preoccupied, having already dove into the contents of their gifts, to answer their father.

"I gave each of them books on pranks, one Muggle, the other magical."

"Oh, dear," Dorea said, trying to keep a smile off her face. "Is your aunt aware of these?"

She froze for a moment before letting out a loud laugh. "No, not at all."

The mother clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I certainly won't be the one to tell her."

Charlus chuckled before looking back to Ava from his seat across the table from her. "Why don't you open our gift next?" With a fluid move, he levitated a rectangular package from beneath the tree and softly deposited it upon her lap.

With slight nervousness, she gently pried apart the paper. Even Sirius and James were watching her now. Upon realizing that it was a book, relief began to flood her body. She had been concerned that she'd have to play off a false love of the Potters' gift, but she'd love just about any book given to her.

However, as her eyes tracked over the title, anxiety pooled in her stomach once again. "Thank you. This is very thoughtful," she told the parents, flashing them a smile that she hoped didn't come off as stiff as it felt. _1,001 Careers for the Up and Coming Witch or Wizard. Great_, she thought. _Even more pressure to figure out my future._

Dorea leaned towards her with a bright grin. "We're determined to help you, Ava. Whatever path you choose, we'll help you secure an apprenticeship."

Charlus nodded. "We both have connections in a variety of fields, and we felt that it was partly—" he threw a look to the boys "—our responsibility to help you acclimate to our world. And having no contacts within the Wizarding World of your own, other than your aunt of course, we would like to offer our assistance however possible."

_Yeah, well, I have no fucking clue what to do, or if I'll even live to see graduation, so how about we start there?_ With her impending meeting with Dumbledore the next morning, she couldn't help but wallow in the fact that the Headmaster was likely to use her in the war against Voldemort in a more active role than she intended. _I shouldn't think like that. But what's the point? I've got enough shit stressing me out right now, I don't need any more._

Her internal struggle must've shown on her face because Charlus spoke up. "It's perfectly fine for you to not know what you want to do with your life yet, Ava."

"Of course," Dorea added. "It's always possible to switch careers as well if you change your mind."

She almost rolled her eyes at how simple they made it sound. But that wouldn't be fair. They weren't aware of the whole picture and why contemplating the future weighed so heavily on her. She forced a smile onto her face. "You're right, and this will help. Thank you so much."

Seeming to accept her thanks, the parents returned her smile and rested back in their seats as it was their turn to open gifts. Aunt Minerva had given them a bottle of Elven wine, making them chuckle, and Dorea seemed exceptionally pleased with Ava's present, a decorative wreath that automatically changed its appearance for each season.

The boys had put aside their prank books when it was her turn to unwrap the gifts from them. With trepidation, she carefully opened their first co-gift and let out an audible breath of relief when it didn't explode confetti or something to that effect.

Sirius laughed. "Merlin, Ava. You think we'd booby-trap your present?"

She eyed him with a quirked brow. "Are you telling me you've never done that before?"

"We wouldn't do that to _you_," James clarified.

She huffed out a laugh. "Thanks, I'm gonna hold you to it." As she pulled the paper away from what was clearly another book, a wide grin broke out on her face. "_Obscure, but Useful Charms_," she read aloud. She lifted her head to give the boys an appreciative look. "Thank you both."

James's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's no problem. We know how much you like Charms."

Sirius smirked. "Bloody swot. You and Moony are clearly perfect for each other."

She held their gaze. "And I have you to thank for that too," she told them sincerely, still beaming.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I, uh—" he glanced at the Potters out of the corner of his eye "—you're welcome, I guess."

Though the boys' next gift was more of a joke, she loved it all the same. The plush wolf was adorable and she immediately hugged the stuffed animal to her chest, claiming his name to be Fluffy. Granted, it wasn't a Cerberus like Hagrid's pet, but she couldn't very well name it Moony, now could she? She nearly laughed aloud at the possible affronted look upon Remus's face at the little stuffed wolf being named after his very real, and certainly more manly, wolf.

The boys smiled but shook their heads at her clear love for the gag gift.

"Don't you judge me. He's quite soft," she said, stroking her inanimate pet.

Dorea vanished the remnants of wrapping paper and bows and the family settled in with Ava for a while longer, discussing everything from Quidditch to how Charlus and Dorea met to the upcoming visits from Remus, Lily, and Peter.

Her heart quickened at the prospect of seeing her soulmate once again tomorrow afternoon.

Soon enough, they all dispersed, heading up to their bedrooms for the night. The Potters split off from Ava and the boys, retreating down a different wing, and she followed James and Sirius back to their rooms. They called out their goodnights to each other before heading to their respective doors.

"Hey, guys," she called out.

The boys paused and looked to her from across the hall.

"Don't forget about the flying lesson."

They both groaned.

"Do we _have_ to, Ava?" Sirius asked, leaning against his doorway.

She crossed her arms. "You both agreed, in writing, I may add, that you would do this for me as a Christmas present."

"And you're sure that snake is going to want a lesson from _us_?" James asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes. For the last time, Benedict adores you guys. You're two of Hogwarts top players, and he's struggling a bit with flying." Her idea for the little Slytherin had been last minute, but she had already gone through this pleading and flattery with the boys once before. She may have used some mild threatening too, but that was neither here nor there. "You already told me you'd do it."

Sirius huffed in annoyance. "Fine. But remember, it's only one lesson. And that's it."

She squealed in happiness and bounced on her toes. "Thank you!" She looked to James and caught him trying not to smile. "Really though, guys. I seriously appreciate you doing this for me. I know you don't really like the Slytherins—" she ignored their scoffs "—but Benedict is just a kid, who happens to look up to you as talented players."

Their expressions softened. "Yeah, we know," Sirius said.

"Goodnight, boys," she said before closing the bedroom door behind her.

Ava got ready for bed in a bathroom that she would swear was bigger than her bedroom at Hogwarts. The shower and tub were big enough for more than just one person, and there was a walk-in closet that she could've only dreamed about.

Considering her short stay, it was nearly pointless to have the closet all to herself, but she unpacked her clothes nonetheless. She even used magic to do so. It was still a conscious effort on her part to remember to use magic when she could. Everything was so ingrained in her the Muggle way that she would have to stop herself mid-task and consider if she knew a way to accomplish it with magic.

As she organized her things and tucked herself into bed, her thoughts drifted. A thrill of excitement raced through her, and her magic warmed in agreement, at the thought of seeing Remus the next day. She made the decision to share some hard truths with him as he requested, which would be difficult, but she still couldn't help the effervescent happiness that came to life inside of her with the anticipation of being with her soulmate again.

A sudden realization overcame Ava as she laid in the large, comfy bed. Sirius and James hadn't bombarded her with questions, and shouting, about the Order. _I guess Dorea and Charlus hadn't mentioned seeing me at the meeting. There's no way the boys would let it go if they found out I was already a part of the Order._ She sighed, pushing thoughts of that confrontation to the back of her mind.

Even though the bed and duvet were so soft and comfortable, she couldn't seem to fall asleep. Her mind swirled with thoughts of her mom and dog, wondering what they were doing for Christmas. She assumed that by now, her mother would've reported her missing and taken in Moose as her own considering she loved the oaf just as much as Ava did.

Tears sprung to her eyes at the thought of her mother potentially spending Christmas alone since it had always been the two of them. But no—no doubt one of her mother's friends would've invited her to spend the day with another family. That wouldn't make it any easier for her though.

As Ava considered her closest friends and what they were up to, she hoped that they, along with her mother, weren't too worried about her. A deep sadness rose in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her lower lip trembled as she tried to stifle the oncoming sobs.

But she reminded herself that she needed to let herself grieve. With an audible cry, she released the hold on her emotions, letting her tears run freely. She wasn't aware of how long she had been crying when the door to her bedroom opened.

She pushed herself up on her elbow and looked over with blurry vision, still able to spot Sirius and James standing there with pained expressions.

* * *

James's heart ached at the sight Ava made, and he was sure Pads felt the same. He couldn't help but feel everything she experienced was his fault. In the back of his mind, he knew that included her relationship with Remus, but he struggled to not focus on the negative consequences of the spell he and Sirius had cast.

"Ava, are you okay?" he asked hesitantly. He and Sirius had popped their heads out of their rooms at the same time and shared a look, knowing that they wouldn't be leaving Ava to fend off her sadness alone.

She sniffled and wiped her nose. "Yeah, I'm—I'm f—fine," she claimed between gasps of air.

Without hesitation, Sirius strode across the room and sat on her bed. "You're clearly not okay, but we're here for you."

James followed and climbed up onto the bed before wrapping Ava up in a brief hug and settling in next to her atop the covers. It physically pained him to see her so upset and he silently vowed to do whatever he could to cheer her up.

She let out a shuddered breath and made room for Sirius on the other side of her and scooted closer to James.

He reached for her hand. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "You know you can talk to us about anything."

Ava bit her lip and nodded. "I know. I just don't really wanna talk about it."

James squeezed her hand. "Of course, that's perfectly fine. Whatever you want."

Her eyes darted to Sirius and she ducked her head.

If he wasn't an Animagus, James wasn't sure he would've heard her whispered question.

"Could you be Padfoot, Sirius?"

The boys looked at each other and a shadow of a smile passed over Sirius's face. "Sure thing, Ava," he said before standing up and transforming into a large black dog. He jumped back onto the bed and laid down against her legs.

Immediately, she reached out to pet him. "Thank you. I hope this is okay." She sniffled and wiped her eyes and nose. "I miss Moose so much."

Padfoot whimpered and nuzzled her hand before giving it a quick lick.

Her lips twitched at the wet sign of affection and she resumed stroking his fur.

James squeezed his fingers around her other hand. "I wish my animal was more cuddly."

Ava looked to him with watery smile and raised brows. "James Potter, are you seriously pouting right now?"

He grumbled out a noise of discontent. Obviously, his annoyance had leaked through his voice. "I just wish I could comfort you like Pads is. Antlers aren't exactly soft, you know."

She gently squeezed his hand. "I do know that. I also know that you're an amazing, caring friend who doesn't need to be able to turn into a dog. You're perfect just the way you are, James." She held up their intertwined fingers. "This is plenty enough. You're here for me, and that's all I could ask for."

He beamed and leaned back against the headboard, letting her settle their hands as she laid back down to sleep with a jaw cracking yawn.

He repeated the motion and slid down the bed so his head was resting on a pillow. "Goodnight, guys."

His friends returned the statement as he placed his glasses on the nightstand. James soon fell asleep, his heart brimming with love for his friends and content in the fact that he helped Ava feel better.

* * *

Ava groaned and rolled over in bed, stretching out her arms and legs. Her leg pressed up against a large body and she peeked her eyes open to see Padfoot laying there with his intelligent gaze fixed on her.

"Morning, Sirius," she said with a soft smile, appreciative of her friends caring for her the night before.

The black dog stood on the bed and crept closer, nuzzling her cheek and giving it a quick lick.

She laughed and swiped at him, but he jumped off the bed in time to dodge her hand. She pushed back the covers and scooted to the edge of the bed before casting a glance over to Sirius, who was now a wizard once again.

"James woke up a while ago and went to get dressed," Sirius said, still sporting his pajamas. His voice lowered. "I didn't want you waking up alone."

Ava could've sworn she actually felt her heart melt into a puddle at the soft expression of worry on his face. "Thanks."

He nodded. "Do you want me to wait for you? I'll show you where we're eating breakfast."

Her brows furrowed. "Is it not in the same dining room as dinner last night?"

With a smile, he said, "Nope."

She rolled her eyes as she stood from the bed. "Of course it isn't. Yeah, please wait for me then. I'll be quick."

Sure enough, once they were dressed, Sirius led Ava to a cute breakfast nook that was apparently closer to the kitchen. It had larger windows to let in sunlight, which was Mrs. Potter's excuse for using the space first thing in the morning. When they showed up, the Potters were all sat down, nibbling on their meals.

After breakfast, Ava encouraged Sirius and James to go outside and play around on their brooms without her, as she needed to make a quick trip back to Hogwarts for some stuff. Charlus and Dorea knew she was meeting with Dumbledore, but thankfully picked up on the fact that she wasn't going to tell the boys that.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her announcement of Flooing back to the castle. "What _stuff_? You were just there yesterday."

"Feminine things," she said without hesitation.

His cheeks turned a little pink, which Ava found adorable because Sirius wasn't easily embarrassed. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him blush before.

James, on the other hand, handled her answer rather well and clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Come on Pads."

She chuckled when Sirius merely nodded and allowed James to direct him towards the French doors that led into the back yard. She could hear James telling Sirius that he'd have to get over that kind of stuff if he ever wanted a girlfriend.

Shaking her head with a smile, she turned to the Potters. "Thank you for letting me use your Floo."

"It's not a problem," Charlus said.

She stood from her chair. "I should be back in thirty minutes or so," she said over her shoulder on her way out. Ava had nearly made it to the sitting room she'd arrived in when Dorea caught up to her.

"Half an hour is awfully quick. Will you be spending any time with your aunt?"

She nearly faltered in her steps. _No, actually. She doesn't even know I'll be in the castle._ She picked up speed as she moved towards the entrance to the sitting room. "I'm just visiting with the Headmaster, so no, I won't be seeing Aunt Minerva."

Dorea followed her into the room and right up to the fireplace. "Ava."

She froze, hand full of Floo powder and turned to the older witch. "Yes?"

"If there's anything, anything at all, that you ever feel the need to speak to me about, I want you to know that I'm a willing ear." She gave Ava a pointed look. "I'm rather good at keeping secrets too."

She sighed and felt her shoulders slump. "I'll keep that in mind." _I'm going to end up losing track of who knows what if I keep telling everyone different secrets_, she thought before stepping into the fireplace and shouting out her destination.

* * *

Ava could feel a migraine coming on from keeping her Occlumency shields in place so tightly, but she wasn't willing to take any risks with Dumbledore. Of course, the wizard wanted her to train with Moody in preparation for a more active role in the Order.

She gulped, not quite ready to have heard the Headmaster say so aloud. "If you remember, I had only planned on helping the Order by providing information. I'm supposed to take a more backseat position." While Ava didn't think she could negotiate her way out of this twist in Dumbledore's plans, she at least had to try.

He peered at her over his half-moon spectacles. "And I'll remind you that was before you became so proficient in magic. Why else would you spend time learning to duel so efficiently?"

_As a precaution, asshole_. She opened her mouth to tell him just that, but the Headmaster interrupted her.

"You swore an Oath, Miss McGonagall. Not the one to the Order, but the one to me."

She squirmed in her seat, temper and magic flaring in irritation. "I suppose I did swear that I would do _anything_," she ground out between clenched teeth.

"That you did."

Not seeing a way out of following his demand, she sighed and slumped back in her seat. "So what exactly is it that you want me to train for? What missions?"

He steepled his wrinkled hands. "That remains to be seen, Miss McGonagall. I would also ask that you keep your sessions with Alastor to yourself for now."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Great. I'll just be your super secret child soldier waiting in the wings until you call me forth. Anything else, _master_?"

His expression turned stormy and he leaned forward in his chair. "As you've said so yourself, you are no longer a child, Avalynn, so stop acting like one."

Her fingers turned white from gripping the armrests to keep herself from slapping the shit out of the old man. Beneath her skin, her magic buzzed in agitation.

His blue eyes pierced hers. "You came to me with the offer to help, did you not? I'm merely directing your skills and knowledge where I think they would be best suited."

The fire to fight left her body in one fell swoop. _He's right. You asked for this. And you can make a difference._ She groaned and held her face in her hands. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Dumbledore stayed silent, no doubt letting her wallow in her frustration and embarrassment for snapping at him.

After several moments, she lifted her head. "I don't like being ordered around."

He gave her a kind smile. "Not many of us do, dear."

* * *

Ava fumed as she stomped her way through Potter Manor. The asshat of a leader left her with the responsibility of figuring out how to get around Aunt Minerva knowing about her training sessions with Moody. She grumbled under her breath and pushed open the back doors that James and Sirius had disappeared through after breakfast.

Before joining them, she stopped in her room and snagged the Christmas present from her aunt, intending on reading while the boys played around on their brooms.

"Ava!" James called from high above her as he floated in place above the spacious back lawn.

"Hey," she called out. _You could have a football game out here_, she thought, spotting Sirius further out, holding what she thought was a quaffle.

"I can summon you a broom if you want."

She waved him off. "No thanks, I'm good." She held up her book. As much fun as she thought it would be to fly again, she was more interested in learning to become an Animagus.

"If you say so," he said with a teasing lilt.

She watched him zoom off towards Sirius and shivered. Ava wasn't sure how long she actually wanted to be outside in the dreary, cold weather, but settled in nonetheless. Using the blanket Bucky had handed her before stepping out of the manor, she laid down in the grass, cast a Warming Charm over the fabric and herself, and dove right into the book.

A while later, James and Sirius landed and plopped down on the large blanket, with their hair wind whipped and cheeks reddened.

"What have you got there?" Sirius asked.

She silently held up the front cover.

He grinned and gently nudged her with his elbow. "Is someone feeling left out?"

Ava rolled her eyes while James joined in on his friend's laughter. "Not in the slightest," she said primly, dropping the book back into reading position and seemingly ignoring them. "Aunt Minerva offered to teach me."

"What?" both boys sputtered out in shock.

She pressed her lips together to keep from smiling and kept her eyes fixed on the page in front of her.

James groaned. "C'mon, Ava. Don't leave us hanging like that."

Placing her bookmark in between pages, she set down her reading. Upon hearing the explanation of the gift, the boys' mouths hung open.

Sirius broke the silence first. "I can't believe McGonagall is willing to teach Snape and Regulus too."

Ava smirked. "Well, I guess the Slytherins can't be so bad if Aunt Minerva is willing to teach them such complicated magic."

"Why even bother teaching them?" James asked with a frown.

She leveled a glare at him. "Because she understands how important they are to me and wants them to have an advantage if anything happens."

The boys shared a look. James ran a hand through his messy black hair and sighed. "Yeah, alright."

Sirius turned to her with furrowed brows. "Does that mean she isn't going to make you register?"

"That would defeat the purpose of it being an _advantage_ wouldn't it?" she asked dryly. Before the boys could explode over that new piece of information, she added, "We will once Voldemort's gone. I don't want any of us being registered with the Ministry while that psychopath is running around."

James snorted. "You make it sound like he's just one of those Muggle axe murderers."

She sighed. "No, he's much more subtle than that. He'll take over the Ministry before anyone even realizes he has people in position there. But once that happens, it's free game on Mudbloods and blood traitors."

James sucked in a breath.

"Merlin, Ava! You can't just—just say that," Sirius scolded her.

She raised a brow, pretending to not understand. "Say what?" _They're acting like a bunch of scandalized old ladies from the South. 'Why, I do declare, James'_. She had to keep in a giggle at the image that thought brought to mind.

Both boys sputtered.

"What?" she asked. "_Mudblood_?"

Their mouths hung open as their faces shifted between confusion and outrage.

She rolled her eyes. "Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood. See? Nothing happened. I didn't spontaneously combust. It's just a word. Yes, it's rude, but it's doesn't even make sense. My genetics are certainly healthier than any of the Purebloods, especially the Sacred Twenty-Eight." They stared at her, speechless. "No offense," she added quickly.

It was silent for another moment before Sirius bursted out laughing and James soon followed.

She couldn't hold back a smile as they clutched their stomachs and wiped tears from their eyes. "What?"

"No one's ever put it like that before," Sirius managed to get out.

She huffed a laugh. "Yeah, well, they ought to branch out the family tree or soon they'll all be infertile idiots." She stood and brushed herself off. "Let's go back inside. I'm tired of recasting the Warming Charm and you two desperately need a shower."

Her magic tingled pleasantly, causing her to frown. _Are you that excited to get back inside to the warmth?_ she internally asked.

The boys stood and glanced over her shoulder before breaking into wide grins.

She spun around to see what made them light up and her heart stuttered. Her soulmate was standing just outside the back doors. "Remus," she breathed out.

She tried to keep herself standing still but lost her resolve as her magic flared up and prodded her to go to him. She absentmindedly pushed her book and the blanket into James's hands and took off. She sprinted across the lawn as Remus started walking towards her, beaming, eyes flicking between amber and green.

They collided with a shared, "Ooph."

Wrapped up in his arms, she muttered into his neck, "I can't believe I just did that. Running to you like we're some couple reuniting in a movie or something." She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her mate.

His chest rumbled with laughter. "I'm glad you ran to me. Otherwise, I would've been the one looking silly." He squeezed her tight. "I've missed you, mate."

She pulled back and lifted up onto her tiptoes. Latching her lips onto his with a fierce desperation, she proceeded to kiss the daylights out of him.

He returned the kiss with fervor, and pulled her body against his, lighting her desire.

She let out an unbidden whimper when he ground his hips into her and she could feel how hard he was beneath his jeans.

Sirius wolf whistled in the background, snapping Ava out of her lust-filled daze.

Remus slowly pulled away before giving her another peck on the lips. He locked eyes with her, fully amber. "We'll finish this tonight, mate," he told her in a low voice, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine.

* * *

Once the friends greeted each other, the boys went to go shower off. Remus and Ava headed to the living room with the Christmas tree, waiting for James and Sirius. Apparently, her soulmate wanted to wait until later when he could give her his present in private.

Her eyebrows rose, but she didn't ask any questions since he was seeming nervous about it.

Soon enough, the boys were dressed and joined them. They caught up on their holidays and talked about Ava slowly starting to join the seventh years classes. The boys and Remus were interested to see how her time at Hogwarts was while most of her friends were away. Thankfully, they must've been paying attention to her wishes for once because none of them, even James, insinuated that Severus was up to no good.

Away from the parents, Ava asked the boys to share some of their more ingenious pranks from over the years. The group of friends spent the next couple of hours regaling her with the stuff of legends and they all laughed until their stomachs ached.

While cuddled together on the sofa, Ava could feel her magic pushing her to physically bond with Remus again, but she kept herself restrained. It wasn't until dinner later that evening that her self-control was being pushed to the limit. She had resisted him nearly all day and it was beginning to take a toll.

They kept sharing heated glances across the table, and Remus's eyes were occasionally turning amber, only fueling her need to reclaim his body.

She peered around the table, hoping that no one else had noticed the looks between them.

However, that hope was dashed when Sirius said, "Merlin, Ava. You look like you need me to hold your hand."

James choked on his food and thumped his chest, while Dorea and Charlus looked on in a mix of concern and confusion.

She blushed and Remus's narrowed eyes flicked between her and Sirius. She tilted her head towards her obnoxious friend and hissed, "Sirius Orion Black. Shut. Up."

Dorea's eyebrows skyrocketed.

"What does he mean, Ava?" Remus asked with furrowed brows.

Her cheeks reddened by the second and she glanced around the table to find everyone waiting on pins and needles for her response.

"I, uh—" she began, before pausing to clear her throat. "Well, I—I, um,—" she looked to Sirius for some help considering he was the one who started this mess. _How the fuck can I explain this without sounding crazy?_

Remus leaned forward in his seat, eyes flashing amber before fixing his gaze on Sirius. "You know, I never did ask either of you about all that hand holding when Ava first got here. Why _were_ you always holding her hand at meals?"

She should've found her words sooner because the next thing she knew Sirius blurted out, "I had to keep her from shagging you right there on the table in front of the whole school, mate."

Silverware clattered to the table, and this time, Charlus choked on his bite of food.

Ava's mouth dropped open and she whipped her head to stare at Sirius with wide eyes. _Did he actually just say that? Aloud? With the Potters sitting right there?_

Seeming to realize the awkward silence, Sirius lifted his head and looked around the table, finally landing on her. He gave her a sheepish smile and seemed to shrink in on himself. "Suppose I could've said that a bit more delicately."

"You think?" she practically shrieked, eyes darting to each of the table's occupants in mortification.

Dorea cleared her throat. "Ava, dear, it's quite alright to have…urges. You're a growing woman—"

Ava held up her hand. "I'm gonna stop you right there." She cut a glance to Sirius. "What this _idiot_ failed to mention was that I was experiencing a _very_ strong _magical_ pull to Remus because of our bond." She let out a huff of exasperation. "I can control myself, thank you very much."

"Wouldn't have had to hold your hand if that were the case," Sirius muttered under his breath.

"That's it," she snapped, standing abruptly from her chair. With a flick of her wrist, her wand descended into her hand as she turned to face her friend.

"Bloody hell, Ava," Sirius yelped, getting to his feet.

She raised her wand, several choice spells coming to mind, but before she could utter a word, her wand was torn from her grasp and landed in Dorea's hand.

Mrs. Potter had a brow quirked and looked pointedly between the two of them. "Sirius, Ava, apologize to each other."

They both grumbled out reluctant apologies and sat back down.

Everyone resumed eating, but apparently Remus couldn't help himself. "Am I really _that_ irresistible?" he asked, flashing Ava a smile.

She tried to hide her grin but couldn't stop it. A giggle slipped loose and soon enough, all of them were laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note:
> 
> Don't worry, Ava and her mate have their real reunion next chapter! ;D


End file.
